Florida reports 93 virus deaths, 11,433 infected in 1 day

TALLAHASSEE, FLA » Florida reported 93 more deaths from COVID-19 on Friday as the pandemic continues to spread. The state’s total confirmed caseload grew by another 11,433 people infected.

The rate of Florida deaths per day has reached a sevenday average of about 59, up from about 33 three weeks ago, and approaching the deadliest period in the pandemic in early May when that average briefly touched 60.

The cumulative number of deaths in Florida was 4,102 on Friday, and the number of confirmed cases of the virus climbed to 240,710. The state also reported a record daily high of 435 newly hospitalized people who were positive for the virus, though that partly reflects expanded routine testing for inpatients and includes those seeking hospital care for other reasons.

Florida added a new column to a dashboard with hospitalization statistics on Friday to include a page with a county-by-county breakdown for patients being treated primarily for coronavirus. Statewide, there were 6,806 such COVID-19 patients in hospitals.

The figure doesn’t include patients admitted for other reasons who test positive while hospitalized.

Coronavirus hospitalizations were highest in MiamiDade County, with 1,388, followed by Broward County with 969 and Palm Beach County with 606. Orange County, home to Disney World and other theme parks, had 478 virus hospitalizations and Duval County, where the Republican National Convention is scheduled to take place next month, had 439.