Florida Reports Nearly 8,000 New Coronavirus Cases, Most Since February

Florida reported 7,939 additional coronavirus cases on Thursday, the most in a day since Feb. 11.

More than 141,000 coronavirus tests were returned Wednesday, a significantly higher amount than on previous days this week. The positivity rate for new cases was 6.73 percent, slightly lower than recent days.

The state’s seven-day average of new cases continues to rise. And recent CDC surveillance shows the highly infectious B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the U.K., in more than 34 percent of positive samples tested in Florida.

The state recorded another 86 COVID-19 related deaths since Wednesday.

After increasing by nearly 100 on Wednesday, hospitalizations decreased by 75. As of Thursday afternoon, there were 3,030 people in the state hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19.

Nearly 6.8 million people in the state have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, a little more than 30 percent of Florida's total population. About four million of those people have received a complete series of shots.

State Totals (as of Thursday, April 8)

• Positive Tests – 2,104,686
• Deaths – 34,562

Daily Changes:

• State: Positive Tests – 7,939| Deaths – 86
• Greater Tampa Bay region: Positive Tests – 1,591 | Deaths – 21

Daily Testing (statewide):

• Tests Received – 141,380 | Positivity Rate – 6.73%

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:

• April 8: 7,939/86
• April 7: 5,885/42
• April 6: 5,556/70
• April 5: 3,480/36
• April 4: 4,794/22
• April 3: 6,017/67
• April 2: 6,490/96
• April 1: 6,790/71
• March 31: 5,294/89
• March 30: 5,062/92
• March 29: 3,374/72
• March 28: 4,943/36
• March 27: 5,883/27
• March 26: 5,750/167

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