The number of COVID-19 patients continued to fall in Alachua County and across the country since Sept. 7.
There are 264 new positive cases in Alachua County this week, down 163 from the previous week. As of Oct. 8, there have been 38,858 total cases in the county. Cases in the county have been declining for six consecutive weeks.
The number of hospitalized patients in Alachua County fell by about a third from Oct. 4 to 12 fell by about a third — a similar trend to the previous week.
Cases at UF also continue to fall, with a seven-day average of 11.4 Oct. 2 — 24% lower than Sept. 25. As of Oct. 2, the average number of cases was about 11.
Of the 25 COVID-19 patients at UF Health Shands Hospital Wednesday, 92% are unvaccinated and one fifth are in the ICU, UF Health spokesperson Ken Garcia wrote in an email. Two children are hospitalized, down by one from Oct. 5.
On Tuesday, 175 UF affiliates were quarantined. The number decreased by just under a third over the past week.
Alachua County Public Schools also experienced a decrease in quarantined students this week, with fewer than half the number of the previous week.
In the last 14 days, 45 students and five adults tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Alachua County School District as of Oct. 11.
Last week’s national weekly case average decreased by about 11% from the previous week.
Florida ranked eleventh in the nation for COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 on Oct. 12, with about 149 daily average deaths. The state moved down in ranking by four places compared to last week.
UF is offering COVID-19 testing at the UF Cultural Plaza Parking Garage and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. UF Health and Alachua County are offering walk-up vaccinations.
Contact J.P. Oprison at joprison@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @JOprison.
JP is a fourth-year journalism major with a minor in history. He is currently the health reporter for The Alligator, focusing on how the pandemic is affecting Alachua County and the thousands of students in Gainesville. In his free time, JP likes to exercise at the gym and relax on the beach.
