Even as COVID-19 cases surged across Florida, UF’s low case numbers held unwaveringly.
Florida hit its lowest weekly total of cases since June 2020 about one month ago, on June 17, at an average of about 1,500 per day statewide, according to the Miami Herald.
Now, three weeks later, cases spiked by 126% to about 3,400 per day.
Although Florida accounts for about 7% of the U.S. population, it contributed almost 20% of COVID-19 cases nationally over the last seven days, according to the Miami Herald.
Meanwhile, UF maintained low positivity rates with three reported positive cases out of 262 tests from July 5 to July 11.
Testing decreased 50% from the first to second week of July with 532 tests from June 28 to July 4.
The campus maintained a 1% seven-day average positivity rate for the second week of July, rising to 2% on July 12 with five positive cases out of 111 tests.
Forty-five students and 36 employees are quarantined or in isolation as of July 13. The total decreased by five students and increased by 13 employees since July 6.
As of July 13, the total number of positive cases since March 2020 reached 10,155. Of these cases, 7,152 were students, 1,578 were employees, 1,424 were UF affiliates and one was unknown.
Between 70% and 80% of UF students have received a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a UF Health estimate in May. Over 60,0000 vaccines have been administered across UF’s vaccination sites, UF Senior Vice President for Health Affairs David Nelson said.
The official Alachua County Facebook July 9 update reported a 5.3% new case positivity rate for the previous week, almost 40% higher than the national 3.8% seven-day average positivity.
Meanwhile, the state of Florida nears a 10% seven-day positivity rate, becoming one of the top six states with the most positive cases.
The Florida Department of Health is no longer releasing daily COVID-19 and county death statistics.
Alachua County reported 138,229 people vaccinated and 25,648 total cases July 9.
For numbers for the previous week, there were 131 new positive cases and 654 people vaccinated.
On June 11, there were 76 new positive cases, 1,212 people vaccinated and 2.0% weekly new case positivity.
Compared to the beginning of June, positive cases increased by 72%, weekly vaccination rates decreased by 46% and case positivity for the week increased by 165%.
Alachua County reported 285 total deaths since the beginning of the pandemic on June 3.
Alachua County has upcoming walk-up vaccine clinics at Thomas Coward Auditorium starting July 16.
Contact Alexandra Harris at aharris@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @harris_alex_m.
Alexandra is a senior journalism major reporting on Science/Environment for The Alligator. Her work has appeared in The Gainesville Sun, and she filed public records requests for the Why Don't We Know investigative podcast. She has a passion for the environment.
