Florida accounted for nearly 17 percent of the COVID-19 patients hospitalized nationwide Thursday, according to data reported to federal agencies.
Nationally, 101,050 people were hospitalized with the disease, with 16,833 in Florida. However, it was the first time in over a week that Florida COVID hospitalizations dropped below 17,000.
The number of COVID patients in Florida intensive care units increased to 3,743. That represents 55 percent of the staffed ICU beds in Florida. The state now has less than 5 percent of its staffed ICU beds available.
Meantime, the state added 901 deaths related to COVID, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The deaths, which may have occurred over the past several days or weeks, bring the state's coronavirus death toll to 43,632.
The state's total COVID cases went up by 21,765.
Health News Florida's Stephanie Colombini and the News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
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