Despite a slowdown of COVID-19 cases, Florida has reached the 7 million mark

Federal data on COVID-19 show 6,998,561 Florida cases, reaching a 7 million mark that only two other states have reached in the United States.

California’s cases are at 11,006,684 and Texas at 7,681,476.

That said, in the category of case rates per 100,000, Florida’s COVID-19 cases are higher than both California and Texas, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The other big numbers related to COVID cases are New York, at 5,954,527 (a combination of New York City and the state of New York) and Illinois, at 3,666,458.

Meanwhile, in Florida, the number of COVID cases are slowing.

For example, in early August, new cases were as high as 11,000. But near the end of August, new cases are at 6,750, according to CDC data posted Friday.

As to COVID deaths in Florida, the figure was 79,568, as of Friday. California and Texas had the most deaths, with California at 93,843, and Texas, 88,458.

However, Florida’s death rate, meaning deaths per 100,000, is higher than both California and Texas. Florida’s death rate was 370, as of Friday, California’s was 237, and Texas, 305.

Despite all the numbers, the COVID pandemic is not over. Omicron subvariants continue to spread across the country. The BA.5 subvariant is highly transmissible and it is the leading subvariant in the nation, according to the CDC data.

Correction: Florida’s COVID death rate is higher than the death rates for California and Texas. An earlier version of the story used the word “lower,” which was incorrect. The Phoenix apologizes for the error.