Florida's COVID-19 hospitalizations drop in past week

Numbers released Friday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services showed a significant decrease in the past week in Florida hospital inpatients with COVID-19. 

The department said a reported 9,868 Florida inpatients had COVID-19, down from 11,468 a week earlier. 

Also, the data Friday showed that 1,444 patients with COVID-19 were in intensive-care units, down from 1,601 a week earlier. 

The number of hospital patients with COVID-19 began surging in December as the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus spread through the state.

Watch FOX 35 News for the latest launch updates. Click here for Orlando weather, Central Florida weather conditions, and live radar.