2,700 coronavirus deaths reported

Florida reported 1,180 new COVID-19 infections Sunday, bringing the statewide total to 63,938, along with 12 new fatalities.

The death toll stands at 2,700, which includes two new deaths reported in Central Florida.

The latest update marks the fifth day in a row with over 1,000 cases reported by the state health department. Between Wednesday and Friday, daily reported cases were at or above 1,300. This week’s peak was hit on Thursday, with 1,419 cases reported.

The sharp increases in cases this week come as most of Florida enters Phase 2 of reopening the economy. Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office credits the upticks to expanded testing. Since the outbreak began, 1,217,105 tests have been administered, nearly double as of May 17.

While more tests tend to increase the total number of

cases, there have also been indicators that the percent of positive tests is also rising. The statewide positive rate for the week of May 31 appears that it will be higher than the 4% from the week before it.

Central Florida now has 6,637 cases, an increase of 135 over Saturday. There are 60 new cases in Orange County for a total of 2,316; 33 in Polk for 1,178; 15 in Volusia for 819; four in Osceola for 745; 11 in Seminole for 532; four in Brevard for 457; and eight in Lake for 329. With no new cases reported Sunday in Sumter County, the total there stands at 261.

Two new deaths reported Sunday in the region came from Polk and Osceola counties, logging one victim each. Four additional deaths were reported Saturday, two each from Polk and Orange.

The Central Florida death toll now stands at 234, with the most in Polk County at 67, followed by Orange with 45, Volusia with 44, Osceola with 21,

Sumter with 17, Lake with 15, Brevard with 13 and Seminole with 12.

South Florida, home to 29% of Florida’s population, remains the hardest-hit region, accounting for 54% of cases with 34,581 total. That includes 518 new cases reported Sunday among Miami-Dade (19,547), Broward (7,804), and Palm Beach (7,230) counties. South Florida also has the most deaths at 1,476, which is 54.6% of the state’s fatalities, and includes seven new deaths reported Sunday.

The state’s deadliest day remains May 4 with 59 reported fatalities, according to the Florida Department of Health. In April, the U.S. peaked at nearly 2,300 deaths in one day.

Nationwide, there are over 1.9 million cases with over 109,000 deaths. Worldwide, there are over 6.9 million cases and over 400,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center.