5,500 New Coronavirus Cases Sends Florida's Total Past 800,000

The number of coronavirus cases in Florida surged past the 800,000 mark on Friday as the state reported another 5,592 positive cases since Thursday.

Week-over-week, the state's cases continue to trend upward with 28,436 more infections reported for the week ending Friday, compared to last week's total of 23,343 and 19,516 the week before that.

State figures also show hospitalizations from COVID-19, which usually increase a few weeks after cases spike, are now starting to inch up. However, the number of reported deaths continues to drop.

The state reported 383 deaths for the week ending Friday, compared to 514 last week and 658, the previous week.

Hospitalizations for complications due to COVID-19 had been hovering around 2,000 since mid-September but averaged about 2,300 for the week ending Friday.

Friday was the fifth time in the past seven days that the daily number of new cases has been over 4,000. Statewide, 800,216 people have tested positive.

According to Friday’s report from the Florida Department of Health, 1,056 people tested positive in the greater Tampa Bay region.

The state reported the results of 100,318 tests on Thursday and the rate of those who tested positive for the first time was 4.89%.

State health officials reported 73 deaths due to complications from COVID-19 since Thursday, bringing the statewide death toll to 16,927.

In the greater Tampa Bay region, there were 34 deaths reported, and 22 of the people who died were in Hillsborough County. It’s the third straight day that the county has lost more than 15 people to the virus.

The deaths were recorded by the state since Thursday’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 case and death totals as of Friday, October 30:

• Hillsborough: 48,148 / 820
• Pinellas: 25,921 / 821
• Polk: 23,088/ 620
• Manatee: 13,403 / 330
• Pasco: 10,923 / 244
• Sarasota: 9,706 / 344
• Hernando: 3,757 / 173

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

• Oct. 30: 5,592/73
• Oct. 29: 4,198/79
• Oct. 28: 4,115/66
• Oct. 27: 4,298/57
• Oct. 26: 3,377/20
• Oct. 25: 2,385/12
• Oct. 24: 4,471/76
• Oct. 23: 3,689/74
• Oct. 22: 5,557/57
• Oct. 21: 2,145/105
• Oct. 20: 3,662/86
• Oct. 19: 1,707/54
• Oct. 18: 2,539/50
• Oct. 17: 4,044/88

Copyright 2020 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7