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Florida's Positivity Rate For First-Time Coronavirus Tests Rises Above 5%

WUSF | By Lisa Peakes

Published October 14, 2020 at 2:05 PM EDT

Wednesday, the state reported 2,883 people tested positive for COVID-19 since the day before.

Wednesday’s report from the Florida Department of Health shows 2,883 people tested positive for the coronavirus since Tuesday. That brings the statewide total to 741,632.

The state received 57,269 tests Tuesday, and 5.42% of them were positive. It’s the first time the positivity rate has been over 5% since Oct. 5.

A data dump of previously reported lab results prevented the reporting system from normal processing of lab results on Saturday, causing an inaccurate representation of data for Saturday and Sunday. State officials said the most accurate way to interpret percent positivity for the weekend is as a two-day average, which was 4.21%.

Wednesday’s report shows 543 new positive tests in the greater Tampa Bay region. It’s the second straight day the number of new cases in the region has been over 500.

It also recorded the deaths of 66 people due to complications from COVID-19 since Tuesday’s report, bringing the statewide death toll to 15,788. The greater Tampa Bay area reported eight deaths.

The deaths were recorded by the state since Tuesday’s report, but they may have occurred days or weeks earlier.

ABOUT THE DATA: The Florida Department of Health produces a daily update around 11 a.m. with information about COVID-19 cases and deaths that were reported over the previous 24 hours. Cases and deaths in the report may have happened days or weeks earlier, according to state officials. The state separately tracks cases and deaths that occurred on specific days on its dashboard and those totals are frequently updated.

Greater Tampa Bay region positive tests as of Wednesday, October 14:

Hillsborough: 44,652
Pinellas: 23,510
Polk: 21,354
Manatee: 12,270
Pasco: 9,989
Sarasota: 8,786
Hernando: 3,324

Florida COVID-19 daily total of positive tests/deaths for the last two weeks:

Oct. 14: 2,883/66
Oct. 13: 2,725/123
Oct. 12: 1,533/47
Oct. 11: 5,570/180
Oct. 10: No report issued from DOH *
Oct. 9: 2,908/118
Oct. 8: 3,306/170
Oct. 7: 2,582/139
Oct. 6: 2,251/59
Oct. 5: 1,415/41
Oct. 4: 1,868/43
Oct. 3: 2,787/74
Oct. 2: 2,660/111
Oct. 1: 2,628/131

* - On Oct. 10, a data dump of previously reported lab results prevented the reporting system from normal processing of lab results.

Florida's Positivity Rate For First-Time Coronavirus Tests Rises Above 5%

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