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Florida surpasses 16,000 coronavirus-related deaths

The number of coronavirus cases statewide has been steadily rising
 
For use with daily coronavirus numbers.
For use with daily coronavirus numbers. [ Times ]
Published Oct. 16, 2020|Updated Oct. 16, 2020

Florida surpassed 16,000 coronavirus deaths Friday, reporting 98 new deaths. Its total number of cases since March rose to 748,437 after adding 3,449 cases Friday.

Florida’s coronavirus cases have been steadily on the rise, with the state’s death toll more than doubling since Aug. 1. A total of 16,030 people have died statewide since March.

The weekly average deaths added was 94 deaths announced per day. The number of deaths added each day does not necessarily reflect the number of people who died the previous day, as it can take officials up to two weeks to confirm and report a coronavirus-related death.

Hospitalizations: Currently, 2,111 people are hospitalized in Florida with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, according to the Agency for Health Care Administration. In the Tampa Bay area, 468 people are hospitalized.

About 25 percent of hospital beds and 24 percent of adult intensive care unit beds were available in Florida on Friday, according to the agency. Roughly 20 percent of Tampa Bay hospital beds and 16 percent of adult ICU beds were open.

The state added 173 hospitalizations Friday, with 48 in Tampa Bay. Since March, 47,396 people have been admitted to Florida hospitals due to the virus.

Positivity: Florida’s positivity rate was at 12.34 percent on Friday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University.

According to data from the Florida Department of Health, which does not include positive retests in its calculations, the state’s average weekly positivity rate was 4.65 percent.

A state should maintain a positivity rate of 5 percent or less for at least two weeks before reopening, according to the World Health Organization.

Local numbers: Tampa Bay added 561 cases and 19 deaths Friday.

Polk County reported nine deaths, while Hillsborough added four deaths and Hernando added two deaths. Pinellas, Pasco, Citrus and Manatee counties added one death each.

Hernando County’s positivity rate was slightly above 5 percent. Hillsborough, Polk and Pinellas counties logged positivity rates around 5 percent while Pasco, Manatee and Citrus counties all recorded positivity rates of about 4 percent.

As of the latest counts, Hillsborough has seen 44,999 cases and 743 deaths, Pinellas has reported 23,746 cases and 797 deaths, Polk has recorded 21,572 cases and 223 deaths, Manatee has had 12,365 cases and 319 deaths, Pasco has seen 10,089 cases and 223 deaths, Hernando has reported 3,385 cases and 154 deaths, and Citrus has 3,000 cases and 126 deaths.

How fast is the number of Florida COVID-19 cases growing?

Is Florida’s coronavirus outbreak still growing?

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.

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