STATEWIDE — COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida have declined by nearly 32% in the past two weeks to 9.917, according to the Florida Hospital Association.

The number of hospitalizations are below 10,000 for the first time since July 30, based on a survey of hospitals completed Sept. 15, the Florida Hospitalization Association reported.

New COVID cases totaled 9,913, the FHA reported.

The decline comes as AdventHealth’s Central Florida division has moved its status from “red” to “yellow.” It improved to “green” this week, putting its hospitals back at mostly normal operations.

The percentage of hospitalized patients with COVID is 21.2%. Nearly 18% of in-patient beds and 10.7% of in-patient adult beds are available statewide, according to the latest survey.

COVID patients in intensive care units have remained steady since Sept. 7, at 25%, but COVID patients on ventilators have inched up 2.4% to 20.3%

Hospitals expecting critical staffing shortages fell 1.9% but still remained at 72.8%, the Florida Hospital Association reported

“While the state is clearly on the right track, it should be noted that we still have roughly the same number of people hospitalized today as we did at the height of the surge last year,” Florida Hospital Association President and Chief Executive Officer Mary Mayhew said. “Getting vaccinated and receiving monoclonal antibody treatments for those who test positive remain the best protection against serious illness and possible hospitalization.”