Florida reported 14 new deaths related to the coronavirus in its Monday update, a lower number than the number of reported deaths seen much of last week.
It is unclear whether the low increase in deaths is a true decrease in deaths or a quirk in the data reporting.
Over the weekend, the state announced it was switching how it would provide data updates on the coronavirus, going from two daily updates to one. It said doing so would allow it to provide more comprehensive data, such as a report on each Florida county.
A Tampa Bay Times analysis found that the state’s Monday morning updates have tended to have lower death increases than other days of the week.
Last week, the average number of new reported deaths was more than 44 a day.
The total number of coronavirus-related deaths stands at 1,108, according to the state’s Monday update. It said there are 32,138 known cases of the coronavirus.
How fast is the number of Florida COVID-19 cases growing?
Morning updates typically show low numbers for the current day.
Three of the 14 newly reported deaths come from the greater Tampa Bay region, with Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties each reporting one compared to Sunday’s update.
As of Monday, Hillsborough County has 1,062 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 23 reported deaths. Pinellas County has 698 cases and 26 deaths, while Pasco County has 237 cases and five deaths and Hernando County has 89 cases and five deaths.
Tampa Mayor Jane Castor on Monday said on Fox News’s Fox & Friends that her city has “really crushed that curve," thanks to residents adhering to social distancing guidelines.
The state said Monday that Polk County has 441 known cases and 18 deaths, while Citrus County has 97 cases and 11 deaths. Manatee County continues to have the most coronavirus-related deaths in the area, with 43 deaths and 533 cases.
The state’s case tracking includes residents and visitors diagnosed in Florida as well as a small number of Floridians who were tested and isolated elsewhere.
The number of cases of the coronavirus reported by the state is likely an undercount, given limited testing, testing delays and the likelihood that some people who may have the coronavirus will never be tested.
The state’s newly reported deaths include an 82-year-old Hernando man, a 64-year-old Pasco man and an 87-year-old Pinellas man.
Since the start of the outbreak in Florida, more than 5,200 people have been hospitalized. That number could include people who have recovered or are deceased.
More than 357,000 people have been tested for the virus, with rates of testing varying depending by county. Overall, about 1.7 percent of the state’s population has been tested.
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Explore all your optionsFlorida falls about in the middle of the pack among states for the percentage of its population that has been tested for the virus.
The state’s latest update no longer includes information on the number of confirmed cases in long-term care facilities, but does report 319 deaths tied to the virus in those facilities. However, the state on Monday released a list of long-term care facilities with known cases of the coronavirus, with a breakdown of the number of cases reported by each facility.
What are the latest numbers on coronavirus in Tampa Bay?
Florida coronavirus cases by age group
Doctors say older people are at a greater risk to developing severe symptoms from COVID-19, which makes Florida especially vulnerable.
Times staff writer Langston Taylor contributed to this report.
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