Florida adds 11,335 coronavirus cases, 135 deaths Thursday

The Florida Department of Health reported 11,335 coronavirus cases and 135 deaths Thursday, raising the death total to 19,851. It has recorded nearly 1.1 million infections since March.

Florida has seen about 9,381 new cases and 105.5 deaths on average per day this week. The weekly death average peaked on Aug. 2 with 184.9 deaths announced per day and this number is on the rise again.

Deaths are also increasing nationwide. The United States reported a record number of deaths and hospitalizations Wednesday, with 3,054 new fatalities and 106,688 people currently hospitalized with the virus, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

Hospitalizations: As of Thursday afternoon, Florida’s hospitals were treating 4,531 patients with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, according to the Agency for Health Care Administration. In the Tampa Bay region, 948 people were currently in hospitals with the virus.

The state reported 269 admissions Thursday, including 65 locally.

About 21 percent of regular hospital beds and around 19 percent of adult intensive care unit beds were open statewide. In Tampa Bay, about 20 percent of regular hospital beds and about 15 percent of adult ICU beds were available.

Positivity: According to Johns Hopkins University, Florida’s positivity rate was 8.52 percent Wednesday. The university’s calculations now more closely match those of the Florida Department of Health.

Data from the state health department indicates a weekly average positivity rate of 7.86 percent, with daily rates ranging from 6.24 percent to 9.22 percent over the past two weeks.

Before reopening, states should maintain a positivity rate of 5 percent or less for at least two weeks, according to the World Health organization. This positivity rate indicates that testing is widespread enough to capture asymptomatic and mild cases. Three states and the District of Columbia currently meet this standard, according to Johns Hopkins.

Local numbers: The Tampa Bay region reported 2,447 coronavirus cases and 26 deaths Thursday. Hillsborough County alone recorded 900 cases.

Polk County reported nine deaths. Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties reported five deaths each. Pinellas County added two deaths. There were no new deaths in Manatee and Citrus counties.

Hernando County had the highest weekly average positivity rate at 10.48 percent, followed by Pasco County at 9.64 percent. Polk County’s positivity rate was 9.13 percent, Citrus County’s positivity rate was 9.04 percent, Hillsborough County’s positivity rate was 7.59 percent, Pinellas County’s positivity rate was 6.98 percent and Manatee County’s positivity rate was 6.68 percent.

According to the latest counts, Hillsborough has 63,339 cases and 984 deaths, Pinellas has 36,426 cases and 947 deaths, Polk has 30,365 cases and 719 deaths, Manatee has 18,351 cases and 397 deaths, Pasco has 16,988 cases and 315 deaths, Hernando has 5,692 cases and 239 deaths, and Citrus has 5,350 cases and 189 deaths.

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