Thursday’s report from the Florida Department of Health showed an increase of 6,236 people testing positive for the coronavirus in the state since Wednesday's report.
It brings the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 557,137.
After Florida cases spiked higher throughout the month of July, the number seems to have slowed. July 25 was the last day the state reported more than 10,000 cases.
In the greater Tampa Bay region, there were 781 new positive tests since Wednesday's report.
The Department of Health added 148 deaths Thursday, including 30 in the greater Tampa Bay region. That brings the total dead due to COVID-19-related complications in the state to 8,913.
The deaths were recorded by the Department of Health since Wednesday's report, but may have happened days or weeks earlier.
Of the 78,247 tests returned to the state Wednesday, 9.52% of those tested for the first time were positive.
According to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Twitter posts from the Florida Department of Health, the state received a backlog of testing data on Wednesday from Niznik Lab Corp in Miami, dating back to June 23rd. The lab reported over 4,000 cases occurring over the past 7 weeks, but which had not been reported to DOH until Wednesday.
That submission also pushed the positivity rate for first-time tests posted Tuesday to 11.87%. Without that data, the rate would have been 9.35%.
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.
Greater Tampa Bay region positive tests as of Thursday, August 13:
- Hillsborough: 33,428
- Pinellas: 18,329
- Polk: 14,992
- Manatee: 9,554
- Pasco: 7,283
- Sarasota: 6,479
- Hernando: 2,124
Florida COVID-19 daily total of positive tests/deaths for the last two weeks:
- August 13: 6,236 /148
- August 12: 8,109 /212
- August 11: 5,831/276
- August 10: 4,155/91
- August 9: 6,229 / 77
- August 8: 8,502 / 182
- August 7: 7,686 / 180
- August 6: 7,650 / 120
- August 5: 5,409 / 225
- August 4: 5,446 / 245
- August 3: 4,752 / 73
- August 2: 7,104 / 62
- August 1: 9,642 / 179
- July 31: 9,007 / 257
