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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nPolk County\u2019s new COVID cases have increased fivefold in July, skyrocketing to levels not seen since the holiday spike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Polk reported 2,514 new infections in the past week between July 16 and Thursday, according to the Florida Department of Health\u2019s Friday report, the highest levels since early January. It marks a nearly fivefold increase within the county since the 506 cases reported the week ending July 2.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With Polk County\u2019s number of COVID-19 cases spiking and hospitalizations increasing, there\u2019s been a deafening silence from local officials. Where government social media feeds on Facebook and Twitter once announced the number of new daily cases during the pandemic, there\u2019s been silence. Polk government officials last posted case numbers on Twitter in January. Lakeland city staff posted a Facebook update Friday, its first mention of the virus since late April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u201cHave local officials been quiet? We have, not on purpose,\u201d said Rick Wilson, chairman of the Polk County Commission. \u201cWe are like 99% of people trying to live normally again.\u201d This summer has seen the return of local activities from municipal-hosted Fourth of July Celebrations to farmers\u2019 markets, outdoor concerts, and food truck rallies. Events like these have drawn large crowds, Wilson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPeople are enjoying themselves. It\u2019s almost like old times,\u201d he said. \u201cIs that a problem? Well, I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fewer people among the crowds continue to wear face masks. Wilson said it serves as a visual reminder of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Up until Wednesday, Wilson said county commissioners hadn\u2019t received any contact from local health care officials voicing concern about Polk\u2019s rising number of COVID cases, which have increased fivefold in July. More than 2,500 new infections were reported in the past week, a spike not seen since January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sudden spike in new COVID infections is raising alarms among local health care officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe were all pretty comfortable thinking we\u2019re under control for a while, but the numbers have gone up dramatically,\u201d said Dr. Joy Jackson, director of Florida Department of Health in Polk County. \u201cWe have to get people understanding\u00a0we\u2019re back in it,\u201d\u00a0Jackson said she blames a multitude of factors for the sudden uptick \u2013 from the Fourth of July holiday gatherings, schools being out, masks off, the highly contagious delta variant, and the number of people still unvaccinated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Polk\u2019s weekly positive rate was 18.6 %, according to the state report, up from 13.3% a week prior. It\u2019s the sixth consecutive week the level has increased from when it was hovering near 4%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s a chief indicator there\u2019s a high level of transmission within the county,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 95% of hospitalized COVID patients are unvaccinated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jackson said she estimates more than 95% of currently hospitalized COVID patients are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated. Only 3% of new infections are people who have been vaccinated or \u201cbreakthrough\u201d cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The health department director said any of the three vaccines approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration \u2014 Moderna, Pfizer, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson \u2014 are widely available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf anyone has been on the fence, now is the time to get the vaccine,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0\u2018Vast majority\u2019 are those who are unvaccinated. Polk County\u2019s new COVID cases have increased fivefold in July, skyrocketing to levels not seen since the holiday spike. 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