Florida reports highest amount of cases in one week
Florida reported 3,494 new coronavirus cases Sunday, continuing the streak of an increase in statewide infections as the caseload total tops 97,000.
There have now been 97,291 confirmed infections and 3,161 deaths in the state, which includes an additional 17 fatalities reported Sunday compared with a day earlier. With non-residents included, the death toll stands at 3,254.
Saturday’s update from the health department saw a record high of daily reported cases with 4,049 confirmed infections. Friday was the second highest day for reported cases, followed by today’s update.
Florida also reported the first death of a child with coronavirus on Saturday: a 17-year-old boy from Pasco County. His case is not travel related, and it’s unclear if he came in contact with someone with the highly contagious disease.
From Sunday to Sunday, Florida saw 21,723 new reported cases, the highest amount in a one-week period since the pandemic began. The state also saw 230 more deaths this week, and 190,343 tests administered.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has attributed the recent daily spikes in cases to more widespread testing.
On Saturday, DeSantis said the “vast majority” of new cases are younger patients who show no symptoms and don’t have “huge clinical consequences.” The governor stopped short of raising an alarm call, but did acknowledge the increasing rate of cases while encouraging people to adhere to preventive measures.
However, the increase in testing numbers and in case numbers are rising at different rates. Testing appears to be slowing down, while the percentage of positive results appears to be steadily growing.
1.6 million COVID-19 tests have been administered in the state as of Sunday, including another 38,055 tests logged since Saturday.
The state reports that about 11.9% of Saturday’s new patients were positive for COVID-19, the second-highest in two weeks. Saturday’s update saw the highest positivity rate of about 12.4%.
Two deaths were reported in Central Florida this weekend: one on Sunday, a 93-year-old woman in Seminole County, and another on Saturday, a 92-year-old man in Polk County. The region’s death toll stands sat 269.
Central Florida now has 12,358 cases, an increase of 685 from a day earlier. There are 345 new cases in Orange for a total of 4,914; 72 in Polk for 2,042; 50 in Volusia for 1,218; 45 in Osceola for 1,052; 76 in Seminole for 1,265; 33 in Brevard for 850; 62 in Lake for 733; and two in Sumter for 284.
South Florida, home to 29% of Florida’s population, remains the hardest-hit region, accounting for 49% of cases with 47,699 total. That includes 1,276 new cases reported Saturday among MiamiDade (25,790), Broward (11,155), and Palm Beach (10,754) counties. South Florida also has the most deaths at 1,725, 54% of the state’s fatalities, and includes 13 new deaths reported Sunday.
To date, the state has recorded 13,037 hospitalizations on its COVID-19 dashboard, including 98 new hospitalizations reported Saturday. 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 2.2 million cases with over 119,000 deaths. Worldwide, there are over 8.8 million cases and over 464,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center.