FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The upward trend of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida has reached a new peak.
On Thursday, 16,973 people were confirmed to be admitted in the state with COVID-19, according to the Florida Hospital Association.
The FHA has been posting daily charts that show the concerning trajectory in COVID hospitalizations. The current numbers nearly double the peak from 2020.
ℹ Florida COVID-19 Update for August 19, 2021
— Florida Hospital Association (@FLHospitalAssn) August 19, 2021
🚨 Total Confirmed Hospitalizations: 16,973 pic.twitter.com/lE6LEoqqqE
According to the FHA metrics, 34.1% of all hospital inpatients have COVID-19, and 54.2% of adult ICU patients have COVID.
Broward and Miami-Dade have been among the leading counties in the nation for new COVID-19 hospital admissions, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Florida has been reporting an average of more than 20,000 new COVID-19 cases per day over the past seven days, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The state reported 15,402 new cases to the CDC on Wednesday, which was the fewest since Aug. 8.
The state has seen an increase in new cases for eight consecutive weeks, and the new-case positivity rate reached 19.3% in Florida’s last full weekly report released this past Friday.