The state reported 17,345 new positive cases for COVID-19 on Friday, following an enormous two-day surge in testing across Florida before the Thanksgiving holiday.
Nearly 291,000 people took coronavirus tests in Florida over the past two days, according to the Florida Department of Health. That included 170,297 tests recorded Wednesday and 120,625 reported for Thursday.
Of the people tested for the first time, just over 6% were positive on each day.
The new positive cases include any announced since the last report was issued on Wednesday afternoon. No information was released Thursday.
Friday’s report brings the total number of people testing positive statewide since the beginning of the pandemic to 979,021.
In the greater Tampa Bay region, 2,994 people tested positive since Wednesday's report.
The state recorded the deaths of 114 more people due to complications from COVID-19 since Wednesday’s report, bringing the overall death toll to 18,596. Twenty-one deaths were recorded in the greater Tampa Bay region, including 16 in Hillsborough County.
The deaths were recorded by the state since Wednesday’s report, but they may have occurred days or weeks earlier.
Also, as of 3 p.m. Friday, the department reported 3,748 people were hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 virus as the primary diagnosis. That's 24 more than the same time on Wednesday, and includes more than 500 people being treated at hospitals in the greater Tampa Bay region.
State Totals (as of Friday, Nov. 27):
- Positive Tests – 979,021
- Deaths - 18,596
Daily Changes:
- State: Positive Tests – 17,345 | Deaths – 114
- Greater Tampa Bay Region: Positive Tests – 1,322 | Deaths – 29
Daily Testing (statewide):
- Tests Received Wednesday – 170,297 | Positivity Rate – 6.67%
- Tests Received Thursday – 120,625 | Positivity Rate – 6.2 %
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:
- Nov. 27: 17,345/114
- Nov. 26: No report
- Nov. 25: 8,376/99
- Nov. 24: 8,555/73
- Nov. 23: 6,331/96
- Nov. 22: 6,586/62
- Nov. 21: 8,410/42
- Nov. 20: 9,085/80
- Nov. 19: 9,085/81
- Nov. 18: 7,925/88
- Nov. 17: 7,459/86
- Nov. 16: 4,663/41
- Nov. 15: 10,105/30
- Nov. 14: 4,544/45
(Go to the Florida Counties tab below for a breakdown of cases and deaths by county):
