Staff Reports
State health officials confirmed 346 cases of the novel coronavirus overnight, along with 15 fatalities due to the virus.
As of Monday morning, the Department of Health (DOH) have reported 26,660 positive cases in the state, including among 716 non-Floridians, and 789 Florida residents have passed away. Additionally, 29 Floridians were hospitalized, now up to 3,842 total.
South Florida, where three counties alone make up 59% of the state’s COVID-19 cases, remains the hardest-hit by the virus. Miami-Dade County has 9,460 positive results, up from 9,354 Sunday night. Broward County has 4,038, up from 3,971, and Palm Beach County has 2,209, up from 2,170.
Orange County, now with 1,204 after adding six cases overnight, is the only other county with more than 1,000 cases. Hillsborough County — which picked up 11 cases overnight, now 971 — looks to be the next with the dubious distinction.
The three South Florida counties also lead the state in fatal cases. In Miami-Dade County, 215 Floridians, an increase of eight, died overnight. Five people died in Broward County, raising the death toll there to 120, and no ill Floridians in Palm Beach County died overnight, where the death toll is still 121.
In nursing homes and assisted living facilities, 1,853 residents and staff have tested positive, an increase of 28 overnight, a respite for the health care centers where cases have continued to grow exponentially even as the number of cases statewide begin to peak. Eight residents and staff of the longterm care facilities died overnight, raising the death toll among the facilities to 187.
At least one model suggest Florida could have already passed the virus’ peak. And Gov. Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Scott Rivkees have pointed to the leveling-off as proof the state has fended off the brunt of the initial outbreak.
Since April 3, when 1,308 people tested positive, the number of daily new cases has been declining even as the level of testing has remained fairly consistent. As a percentage of total people tested per day, the number of positives has also dropped slightly, hovering at 10% over the weekend.
DeSantis’ task force on reopening Florida will meet for the first time Monday, by phone, and return recommendations on short-term efforts to ease social distancing by the end of the week.
DOH now has the results of 266,853 individuals tested in the state. Another 1,104 await their results from department-coordinated labs, though thousands more likely have their tests pending in private labs that don’t report tests until results come in.
