The number of patients with coronavirus in Florida hospitals continues to drop as infection rates stay high, a sign that while more people are testing positive for the virus, they are not necessarily developing severe illness.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services tallied 15,488 patients with COVID-19 in Florida hospitals, an 8% decrease over the past week.
On Monday, Sarasota Memorial Hospital reported 277 COVID-positive patients, a drop from 291 last week. Of those, 83% were unvaccinated.
“It looks like if that holds we are on the down slope right now, but it’s been a very unpredictable virus,” said Justin Senior, CEO of the Florida Safety Net Hospital Alliance, which represents some of the largest hospitals in the state. “Overall, the state is still really elevated … but I think it’s heading in the right direction.”