The number of deaths due to complications from COVID-19 in Florida increased by 799, according to data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That brings Florida's total deaths from the virus to 41,937 people.
The CDC also reported that the number of coronavirus cases in the state rose by 15,586, bringing the total to 2,994,019.
While the cases and deaths were reported on Thursday, they may have occurred in previous weeks or months. WUSF's statistics are figured on a cumulative basis, while the CDC is adjusting its figures so cases and deaths are recorded on the day they occur as opposed to the day they were reported to the agency.
There were 17,295 people with the coronavirus being treated in the state's hospitals Thursday, an increase of 199 over Wednesday. It is again the highest number of hospitalizations since the pandemic began.
More than 54 percent of the state’s staffed intensive care beds were being used by 3,647 COVID-19 patients.
In the Jacksonville area,the hot zone of the state's latest surge, hospitals are overflowing with COVID patients, mostly younger than last summer’s peak outbreak. And they’re getting sick faster.
The caseload is more than double that surge at Baptist Health’s hospitals. They're making do by converting empty spaces, adding more than 100 beds and working overtime to persuade people to get vaccinated.
Baptist's medical director says they're “bracing for the worst.”
Florida accounts for one in five cases nationwide as the delta variant spreads.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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