Florida adds 1,613 coronavirus cases, 35 deaths Monday

Romy Ellenbogen, Tampa Bay Times
·4 min read

Florida reported fewer than 2,000 new daily coronavirus cases on Sunday for the first time since March 1, though the state also reported a plunge in the number of tests performed on Sunday.

Only about 24,000 coronavirus tests were performed in Florida on Sunday, which is down the 85,000 tests processed nearly every day over the last six days. It’s unclear if severe weather that passed through the state on Sunday affected testing turnout. Sundays also are typically lower testing days than most other days of the week.Though the sheer number of tests performed Sunday was down, the positivity rate actually rose from 7.6 percent on Saturday to 8 percent on Sunday.

Florida added a total of 1,613 coronavirus cases Monday, bringing the total number of infections identified statewide to 2,125,846.

The weekly case average decreased to about 5,791 cases announced per day.

The Florida Department of Health also announced 35 deaths from COVID-19. Since the pandemic began, 34,720 people in Florida have died from the virus. The weekly death average remained the same at about 51 deaths announced per day.

Vaccinations: As of Monday, 7,291,420 people in Florida have been vaccinated against COVID-19, an increase of 77,627 from Sunday.

Of those vaccinated, 4.4 million are fully immunized after receiving either a one-dose shot or both doses of a two-dose series.

In Hillsborough County, 444,597 people have been vaccinated; in Pinellas, 357,602; in Polk, 191,167; in Manatee, 143,831; in Pasco, 167,768; in Hernando, 58,114; and in Citrus, 53,485.

Hospitalizations: About 3,185 people in Florida are hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of coronavirus, according to the Agency for Health Care Administration. About 750 of those hospitalized are in the Tampa Bay area.

About 24 percent of hospital beds and 26 percent of intensive care unit beds were available in Florida as of Monday afternoon. Locally, 23 percent of hospital beds and ICU beds were available.

Cases that resulted in a hospitalization increased by 56 admissions.

Positivity: Florida’s average weekly positivity rate is about 10 percent, according to Johns Hopkins University. It is one of 26 states that fails to meet the World Health Organization’s recommendation for a 5 percent positivity rate or below before loosening movement restrictions.

When the positivity rate is too high, it can indicate there isn’t enough widespread testing to capture mild, asymptomatic and negative cases.

Local numbers: Tampa Bay added 326 coronavirus cases and seven deaths Monday.

Five deaths were recorded in Manatee County and two in Pinellas. Hillsborough, Hernando, Citrus, Polk and Pasco did not record any new deaths Monday.

Hillsborough and Pasco counties lead the area with a weekly average positivity rate of 9 percent, followed by Polk at 8 percent. Hernando, Manatee and Pinellas counties have an average weekly rate of 7 percent and Citrus is at 5 percent.

As of the latest count, Hillsborough has 126,721 cases and 1,658 deaths; Pinellas has 75,108 cases and 1,585 deaths; Polk has 63,319 cases and 1,285 deaths; Manatee has 36,038 cases and 657 deaths; Pasco has 37,975 cases and 711 deaths; Hernando has 12,854 cases and 453 deaths; and Citrus has 10,540 cases and 437 deaths.

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