Florida sees slow spread of Arcturus COVID variant

The Arcturus COVID-19 strain, which is thought to be linked to pink eye infections, has been slowly spreading in Florida, with 12 cases reported so far. The strain is an offshoot of the omicron variant and comprises an estimated 4% to 15% of cases in the southeast United States. Although some reports say it causes pink eye, scientists have yet to confirm the strain causes conjunctivitis. Meanwhile, Florida's weekly COVID reporting to the CDC is still paused, and viral loads are slowly rising in a few counties. The CDC can't issue indoor masking recommendations in Florida due to a lack of data from the state. Florida's vaccination rates are still among the nation's worst.