As many health experts expected, the July 4 holiday weekend has kickstarted the COVID-19 summer wave as cases have more than doubled in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Northwest Florida isn't battling rising cases alone, however. COVID cases are up throughout the state and the rest of the United States.
The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 after a Wednesday event in Las Vegas. This is the third time Biden has tested positive for the virus.
A majority of cases still come from the latest variant of COVID-19 known as KP.3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CDC data using the Nowcast data tracker shows that in a two-week period from June 23 to July 6, KP.3 accounts for nearly 37% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Other variants of the virus still account for infections of COVID-19 in the U.S., including KP.2 and "FLiRT."
Here's what to know about COVID-19 cases in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Escambia County COVID cases more than double
Health experts warned people about the potential to spread COVID-19 before the July 4 holiday, which they anticipated would further exacerbate the rise in cases.
On the week ending on June 28, Escambia County had 74 confirmed COVID cases. Cases jumped up to 150 the following week. According to the latest data, Escambia County has 164 COVID cases as of July 17, representing a 121.6% increase over the period of two weeks.
COVID deaths in Escambia County
Escambia County has reported a total of 41 COVID-19 surveillance deaths since January. Here's a breakdown by month:
- January — 20
- February — 11
- March — 8
- April — 1
- May — 0
- June — 1
While a monthly total for July hasn't been published, there have been no deaths reported in any of the weekly updates.
COVID vaccinations in Escambia County continue to decline
COVID vaccination rates in Escambia County continue to decline month over month. In June, 196 people received vaccinations, down 36% from May and down 51% from last June. So far in July, only 97 people have received vaccinations.
Santa Rosa County COVID cases doubled before slightly dropping
On the week ending on June 28, Santa Rosa County had 46 confirmed COVID cases. Cases jumped up to 108 the following week. According to the latest data, Santa Rosa County has 76 COVID cases as of July 17, representing a 135.8% increase during its peak over the two-week period.
COVID deaths in Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County has reported a total of 23 COVID-19 surveillance deaths since January. Here's a breakdown by month:
- January — 7
- February — 4
- March — 4
- April — 6
- May — 2
- June — 0
While a monthly total for July hasn't been published, there have been no deaths reported in any of the weekly updates.
COVID vaccinations in Santa Rosa County are in decline
COVID vaccination rates in Santa Rosa County continue to decline month over month. In June, 78 people received vaccinations, down 25% from May and down 62% from last June. So far in July, only 35 people have received vaccinations.
Florida COVID cases rise nearly 50%
On the week ending on June 28, Florida had 14,437 confirmed COVID cases. Cases jumped up to 21,531 the following week. According to the latest data, Florida has 20,129 COVID cases as of July 17, representing a 49% increase at their peak over the two-week period.
COVID deaths in Florida
Florida has reported a total of 2,999 COVID-19 surveillance deaths since January. Here's a breakdown by month:
- January — 874
- February — 910
- March — 517
- April — 285
- May — 205
- June — 202
While a monthly total for July hasn't been published, there have been a total of 6 deaths in July, according to the state's weekly reports.
COVID vaccinations in Florida
COVID vaccination rates in Florida continue to decline month over month. In June, 30,662 people received vaccinations, down 18% from May and down 56% from last June. So far in July, 12,632 people have received vaccinations.
What about new COVID variants
KP.3 is the largest COVID variant impacting people right now. The strand accounts for a 36.9% share of new COVID-19 cases in the two-week period ending July 6, according to the most recent CDC data available. Just behind the KP.3 strand is the KP.2 strand, which accounts for 24.4% of cases, the CDC reports.
KP.3 is a "sublineage of the JN.1 lineage," which come from the Omicron variant, CDC spokesperson Rosa Norman previously told USA TODAY.
"KP.3 evolved from JN.1, which was the major viral lineage circulating since December 2023," Norman said. "It is very similar to JN.1 and only has two changes in spike compared to JN.1."
COVID-19 KP.3 variant symptoms
In a statement previously given to USA TODAY, Norman said symptoms associated with KP.3 are identical to those from the JN.1 variant. Those include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Net loss of taste or smell
- "Brain fog" (feeling less wakeful and aware)
- Gastrointestinal symptoms (upset stomach, mild diarrhea, vomiting)
The CDC notes that the list does not include all possible symptoms and that symptoms may change with new variants and can vary by person.
In general, the agency says, people with COVID-19 have a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe illness. Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure.
Contributing: Ahjané Forbes, Emily DeLetter and Rachel Barber, USA TODAY.
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