Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
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.

Five Florida Counties Now At 1,000+ COVID-19 Deaths

Pinellas and Hillsborough join the state's hardest hit counties - Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach - in recording at least 1,000 deaths.

The number of COVID-19 related deaths in Pinellas County hit 1,000 Tuesday with one more death recorded since Monday’s report.

Pinellas joins Hillsborough as the only two counties in the greater Tampa Bay region with a thousand or more deaths. Hillsborough County stands at 1,038 deaths.

The hardest hit counties — Miami-Dade (4,095), Broward (1,792), and Palm Beach (1,835) — have also recorded more than 1,000 deaths.

The deaths of 19 people were recorded in the greater Tampa Bay region, including eight in Polk County, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Statewide, 76 people died since Monday’s report, bringing the death overall death toll to 21,052.

While the deaths were recorded Tuesday, they may have occurred in the days or weeks prior.

The Florida Department of Health said 10,434 people tested positive for the coronavirus since Monday’s report, bringing the total number of cases to 1,223,015.

Tuesday’s total also includes 1,786 people in the Tampa Bay area.

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, the state reported 5,633 people were being treated at hospitals in Florida with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19.

It's the eighth straight day more than 5,000 people were hospitalized statewide. It's also up by 121 from the same time Monday.

The Florida Department of Health reported the state got back the results for 133,229 tests Monday. Of those tested for the first time, 8.78% were positive.

State Totals (as of Tuesday, Dec. 22):

  • Positive Tests - 1,223,015
  • Deaths – 21,052


Daily Changes:

  • State: Positive Tests – 10,434 | Deaths - 76
  • Greater Tampa Bay Region: Positive Tests – 1,786| Deaths - 19


Daily Testing (statewide):

  • Tests Received – 133,229 | Positivity Rate – 8.78%


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.

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

  • Dec. 22: 10,434/ 76
  • Dec. 21: 11,015/115
  • Dec. 20: 8,401/97
  • Dec. 19: 11,682/74
  • Dec. 18: 13,000/96
  • Dec. 17: 13,148/104
  • Dec. 16: 11,541/125
  • Dec. 15: 9,411/94
  • Dec. 14: 8,452/138
  • Dec. 13: 8,958/84
  • Dec. 12: 10,577/72
  • Dec. 11: 11,699/126
  • Dec. 10: 11,335/135
  • Dec. 9: 9,592/89

Copyright 2020 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7

Daylina Miller is a multimedia reporter for WUSF and Health News Florida, covering health in the Tampa Bay area and across the state.