Just two months after experiencing a pandemic-high rate of new COVID-19 cases due to the delta variant, Florida now has the lowest incidence of new COVID-19 cases in continental America.
Over the last seven days, Florida has had nine new cases of COVID-19 per day per 100,000 residents, according to The New York Times’ data dashboard. Florida is tied with Hawaii for the lowest rate among the 50 U.S. states, and trails only American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands when including U.S. territories.
NEW from @GovRonDeSantis press office: pic.twitter.com/lT0L2tZkfD
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 (@ChristinaPushaw) October 27, 2021
COVID-19 cases in Florida have declined by 90% since a peak of nearly 22,000 per day in August during the worst of the delta wave. Southern states and their Republican governors, including Florida, were subject to media scrutiny during the delta surge as they faced higher rates of new cases and deaths than other parts of the country. Now, the south has the lowest rate of new cases per capita of the country’s four major regions, according to the NYT. (RELATED: Some Of The CDC’s Own Advisers Doubt The Need For Universal COVID Boosters)
While cases and deaths are declining rapidly across the south, the virus is not subsiding as quickly in the northeast or northern Midwest. “Under the Governor’s leadership, Florida has continued to take innovative approaches to the COVID-19 response – and it is incredible to see the data showing this success,” said Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.