One of three tests were positive on Friday

As omicron surges statewide, Florida reported 76,887 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, the
highest daily number of the pandemic, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control.

This surpasses the previous record of 75,732 infections set Dec. 30.
The Florida Department of Health reported 397,114 new coronavirus cases this week
among Florida residents to bring the cumulative total to 4,562,954. With 184 more
fatalities on record, 62,688 Florida residents have died.

This week’s 184 deaths reflect an increase from the 162 reported last week, but deaths can
take several days or weeks to be reported. The majority of the newly reported deaths are
people who died before this week.The death count has not reached anywhere near
September levels, where nearly 2,500 new deaths were reported multiple weeks in a row.

The number of weekly cases increased by nearly 100,000 compared to the previous week’s
298,455. Positivity jumped to 31.2%, which means one out of three COVID-19 tests is
positive. That’s for new cases only and excludes anyone who previously tested positive.

Positivity rates in Central Florida have been higher: Orange County’s average positivity
rate continued to climb, reaching 40.4%, according to CDC data, the highest in the state
for the second day in a row. Seminole County is the second-highest in Central Florida with
38.18%, while Osceola County’s rate was 37.68% and Lake’s was 30.09%. Public health
experts say the virus is considered under control when the COVID-19 test positivity rate is
under 5%. No county in Florida has a positivity rate below that level with Lafayette’s the
lowest at 14.86%.

Part of the reason for the increase in numbers is more people are being tested. A record
146,665 tests are being reported on average per day as of Dec. 29, the most recent data
available for testing rates.

People have been waiting for hours to get a test at sites around Central Florida, prompting
Orlando to open a location at Camping World Stadium. Free testing is available starting
Monday, at the stadium, located at 1 Citrus Bowl Place. The new site will open daily from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to administer both rapid antigen and molecular PCR tests, according to a
news release.

Of note, the state reports deal only with Florida resident cases and exclude non-residents
cases, which are no longer available.1/8/22, 6:42 AM Orlando Sentinel

Across the state, 10,285 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 from Dec. 29 to Jan 6,
according to the latest White House report. In comparison, 4,626 were hospitalized the
previous week. The week before that, it was 1,883. At the height of the summer surge of
cases in August, nearly 17,000 were hospitalized with COVID-19.

Statewide, 14,963,166 residents, or 72% of people age 5 and up, have received at least one
vaccination shot, including 8,504,748 who have completed their shot regimens through
Jan. 6. Statewide, 169,722 received an additional dose last week, bringing the total to
4,397,324.

Central Florida added 75,232 resident infections this week, based on the actual date the
state opened the case, for a total of 875,466: 27,929 more in Orange for 289,041; 8,093
more in Osceola for 89,228; 12,519 more in Polk for 152,919; 4,107 more in Lake for
63,681; 823 more in Sumter for 16,228; 6,447 more in Volusia for 89,401; 8,190 more in
Brevard for 96,835; and 7,124 more in Seminole for 78,133.