State health officials: More than 100K Floridians tested for coronavirus

Florida has tested more than 100,000 Floridians and visitors for the novel coronavirus, crossing a threshold that puts the state in the top three in total testing.

Federal, state, hospital and commercial labs have returned results for 105,994 people to the Department of Health (DOH) as of Saturday morning. The results of another 1,319 people are still pending.

“This is an incredible achievement by any measure, and it is all due to the hard work and great sacrifice by Florida’s thousands of health care workers and first responders who are on the front lines of this fight,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement. “These professionals will have the full weight of the State of Florida behind them as they continue to devote themselves to keeping Florida’s families safe.”

The Governor has indicated the state’s immediate testing goal is to reach about 106,500, or about one in every 200 Floridians. That is the level reached by South Korea, often cited as having one of the most effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Once you get that or better, you have a really good sense of how this virus is moving in all the different communities,” he told reporters earlier this week.

New York state leads the nation with more than 283,621 individuals tested as of Friday. California has completed 126,700 tests according to its database.

Florida is the third-most populous state in the nation after California and Texas. Washington has conducted the fourth-most tests with 86,384.

“Our dedicated team of public health personnel will continue their tireless work in ensuring our state’s symptomatic and vulnerable populations are receiving optimal care,” Surgeon General Scott Rivkees said. “The Department, alongside our national, state and local partners, is committed to the swift and effective resolution of COVID-19 epidemic.”

The Division of Emergency Management (DEM), with the Florida National Guard, is supporting eight COVID-19 testing sites in Florida, mostly in South Florida — the Hard Rock Stadium, Marlins Stadium and South Dade Government Center in Miami-Dade County; CM Smith Park in Broward County; and the FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in Palm Beach County. The Orange County Convention Center, Raymond James Stadium in Tampa and TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville also have facilities.

“COVID-19 is an unprecedented virus in this country, and it requires an unprecedented response,” DEM Director Jared Moskowitz said. “We have been clear from the beginning that we will use every resource we have at our disposal to fight this virus and protect Floridians. Performing more than 100,000 tests in our state demonstrates our commitment.”

As of Saturday evening, DOH has confirmed 11,545 coronavirus cases and 195 deaths in Florida.