The Florida Department of Health report for the week of April 15 to April 21, Florida’s new case positivity rate was 6.1%

Florida has 73,830 total covid deaths since the start of the pandemic.

In South Central Florida:

• Collier County had 324 new covid cases for the week and a new positivity rate of 8.0%.
• Glades County had six new covid cases for a new positivity rate of 13.3%.
• Hendry County had 16 new covid cases and a new positivity rate of 3.8%.
• Highlands County had 37 new covid cases and a new positivity rate of 3.2%
• Martin County had 100 new covid cases and a new positivity rate of 5.3%.
• Okeechobee County had four new covid cases and a new positivity rate of 1.2%.

New covid cases are likely higher than the numbers reported, since many people are using home tests and the results are not reported to the health department.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the entire state of Florida was a low covid risk for the week. The CDC uses data from hospitals and health departments to determine risk. While the number of covid cases increased in the last week, the number of deaths has declined.

According to the CDC, the decrease in deaths is likely due to the high percentage of people who have been vaccinated. Also, the latest covid variants may not be as lethal as some of the previous variants.