Florida adds 277 deaths, tying state record for daily death toll

Florida added 277 coronavirus-related on deaths Friday, tying the record for the most deaths reported in one day set on Aug. 11, 2020.

The Florida Department of Health also reported 13,719 coronavirus cases Friday. Since March, more than 1.6 million people have been infected with the virus.

On average, the health department has reported 11,362 infections and 177 deaths per day this week. It can take officials up to two weeks to confirm and report a coronavirus-related death, meaning the number of deaths added does not necessarily reflect the number of people who died the previous day.

Vaccinations: Florida has vaccinated 1,249,804 people, according to Friday’s report, with 43,446 people vaccinated Thursday. So far, 139,345 people have received both doses needed for immunity, while 1,110,459 people have received just one dose.

In Hillsborough County, 56,743 people have been vaccinated; in Pinellas, 56,363; in Pasco, 22,088; in Manatee, 18,954; in Polk, 24,439; in Hernando, 10,878; and in Citrus, 9,565.

Hospitalizations: Florida hospitals are currently treating 6,898 patients for COVID-19, including 1,362 people in the Tampa Bay region, according to the Agency for Health Care Administration.

The health department reported 461 new admissions Friday, including 85 admissions locally.

About 19 percent of hospital beds and 16 percent of adult intensive care unit beds were available statewide. In Tampa Bay, about 18 percent of hospital beds and 15 percent of adult ICU beds were open.

Positivity: Florida’s positivity rate was 10.65 percent Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The state’s daily positivity rate was 12.37 percent Thursday, according to health officials.

Before reopening, states should maintain a positivity rate of 5 percent or less for at least two weeks, according to the World Health Organization. A positivity rate of 5 percent or less indicates that testing is widespread enough to capture mild, asymptomatic and negative cases.

Nine states and the District of Columbia currently have a positivity rate below 5 percent.

Local numbers: Tampa Bay added 2,385 cases and 44 deaths Friday.

Manatee County reported 20 deaths, while Pasco County added 11 deaths. Polk County added six deaths and Hillsborough County added five deaths. Pinellas and Hernando counties added one death each. There were no new deaths in Citrus County.

Polk County’s weekly average positivity rate was 12 percent, while Hillsborough County’s positivity rate was 11 percent. Pasco, Hernando and Citrus counties each had positivity rates of 10 percent. Pinellas and Manatee counties had positivity rates of about 8 percent.

As of the latest count, Hillsborough has 95,477 cases and 1,229 deaths; Pinellas has 56,247 cases and 1,218 deaths; Polk has 47,254 cases and 927 deaths; Manatee has 26,990 cases and 491 deaths; Pasco has 27,865 cases and 488 deaths; Hernando has 9,353 cases and 332 deaths; and Citrus has 8,192 cases and 325 deaths.

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