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News about coronavirus in Florida and around the world is constantly emerging. It's hard to stay on top of it all but Health News Florida can help. Our responsibility is to keep you informed, and to help discern what’s important for your family as you make what could be life-saving decisions.

Florida's Positivity Rate For New Coronavirus Tests Remains Above 6%

In the greater Tampa Bay area, state officials reported Thursday that 16 people died due to the virus; including 11 in Pinellas County.
In the greater Tampa Bay area, state officials reported Thursday that 16 people died due to the virus; including 11 in Pinellas County.

According to Thursday’s report from the Florida Department of Health, 5,607 people tested positive for the coronavirus statewide since Wednesday. It was the second day in a row that new cases were over 5,500.

In Florida, 863,619 people have now tested positive since the pandemic began.

As of 11 a.m. Thursday, 3,062 people had been hospitalized because of the coronavirus. That represents an increase of just six admissions since Wednesday.

Tuesday was the fourth day in a row that more than 100 people were hospitalized with COVID as the primary diagnosis.

The state got back the results for 82,868 tests Wednesday, and of those tested for the first time, 7.35% were positive.

It’s the 11th straight day the positivity rate has been over 6 percent.

State health officials recorded the deaths of 73 people due to complications from COVID-19 since Wednesday, bringing the statewide death toll to 17,585.

In the greater Tampa Bay region, 1,067 people tested positive, following a day where the region posted 1,344 positive tests — the highest single-day number of new cases since July 30. In Bay area, 16 people died because of the virus — 11 of them were in Pinellas County.

The deaths were recorded by the state since Wednesday’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 Thursday, November 12:

  • Hillsborough: 52,014 /855
  • Pinellas: 28,486 /849
  • Polk: 24,829 /644
  • Manatee: 14,480 /340
  • Pasco: 12,199 /251
  • Sarasota: 10,857 /356
  • Hernando: 4,167 /181


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

  • Nov. 12: 5,607/73
  • Nov. 11: 5,838/52
  • Nov. 10: 4,353/69
  • Nov. 9: 3,924/58
  • Nov. 8: 6,820/22
  • Nov. 7: 4,452/87
  • Nov. 6: 5,245/54
  • Nov. 5: 6,257/39
  • Nov. 4: 4,423/32
  • Nov. 3: 4,637/56
  • Nov. 2: 4,651/46
  • Nov. 1: 4,865/29
  • Oct. 31: 2,331/41
  • Oct. 30: 5,592/73

Copyright 2020 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7

Lisa Peakes is the local host of NPR's All Things Considered on WUSF 89.7.