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MELBOURNE — COVID-19 cases and deaths in Brevard County continue to drop, according to state health department data, with the Space Coast remaining a community of low transmission for the fourth week in a row.

The Florida Department of Health reported 331 COVID cases between Sept. 30 and Oct. 6 on the Space Coast, with a new-case positivity rate of 10.2% and cases per 100,000 estimated at 52.9.

That's a drop of more than 100 cases from two weeks ago, when FDOH reported 467 COVID cases between Sept. 16 and Sept. 22. During that same time period, the department reported a new case positivity rate of 10.4% and estimated there were 74.6 cases per 100,000 population.

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With falling case numbers, Brevard remained a community of low transmission. This status is calculated by the federal Centers for Disease Control through hospitalizations and case rates.

There could be more cases in the community unaccounted for, as not everyone with symptoms tests, and at-home tests are not counted by FDOH or the CDC.

Between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5, there were 33 new hospitalizations from COVID-19 in Brevard. There were fewer than 10 deaths between Sept. 30 and Oct. 6, though the CDC did not provide the exact number. There have been 2,195 COVID-related deaths on the Space Coast since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

FDOH reported that 68% of people 6 months and older have been fully vaccinated in Brevard County. 

Of the eligible population in Florida, group vaccination rates by age across the state are:

Throughout the nation, 72.2% of Americans ages 5 and older have been fully vaccinated. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 96,443,656 cases and 1,056,702 deaths in the United States.

The Florida Department of Health offers COVID vaccines at three sites.

Vaccines are also available at Omni Healthcare's offices and its walk-in vaccination clinic at Suite 303 on the third floor of 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. in Melbourne, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Residents can also receive vaccinations from 9 a.m. to noon in Suite 2C of Omni’s 1344 S. Apollo Blvd. complex.

Finch Walker is a Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker

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