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Gov. Ron DeSantis took to the podium Tuesday to assuage concerns over the rising daily number of new COVID-19 cases. But even his preferred metrics for tracking the state’s progress amid reopening are indicating the virus is on the rise again.
According to the latest report from state health officials, 12.5% of tests received Tuesday came back positive. Even the subset of that metric, which the Governor highlighted, the percentage among people who weren’t already known positives, is on the rise.
For the first time since the days after the state began reporting the subset percentage in late April, the rate of new cases was back above 10% Tuesday. That was a sharp and possibly outlying jump from 7.4% the day before. Still, just 10 days prior, that rate was 2.6%.
In total, the state reported 2,472 new cases Tuesday and 2,610 since Tuesday’s report, raising the total number of diagnoses to 82,719. The state added ten deaths, bringing the total to 3,110 people, including 3,018 Floridians.
During the Tuesday press conference, DeSantis told reporters that “we’re not rolling back” the progress made on reopening. Florida is currently in Phase Two of three.
“We’re not shutting down. We’re going to go forward,” DeSantis said. “We’re going to continue to protect the most vulnerable. We’re going to urge, continue to advise particularly our elderly population, to maintain social distancing, avoid crowds.”
Phase Two, which began June 5, included allowing 100% capacity at retailers and mass gatherings of 50 or less. It also allowed the reopening of bars and movie theaters, but some chains like AMC are still not opening locations.
Despite the rash of new cases, the Governor has attributed the increase to rising testing availability, as now 1.5 million people have been tested. The state and public and private partners have opened testing facilities across the hardest-hit parts of the state that are available to anyone, regardless of age or symptoms, a stark change from the early days of the pandemic.
With testing reaching an average of 30,000 people per day, that exceeds the amount of testing conducted during the virus’ April peak, when about 1,300 tested positive.
“Back in April, I made the point that as you test more, you will see more cases because you’re identifying those sub-clinical cases that just would not have been tested previously,” DeSantis said. “And I said you could see 2,000 cases a day in a state this big. That was something that was definitely in the offer for this, and it’s just because of how you’re doing the testing, especially if you’re expanding it as aggressively as I thought that you needed to do.”
But Wednesday’s update cuts a hole in the Governor’s defense. The rising statewide new case percentage over the past week flies in the face of his claim that rising cases were isolated to the prison system and migrant farmers, both groups that spend prolonged periods in close quarters.
Before the uptick in new cases, the Governor and Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz said the demand for tests is below what the state can provide. The Department of Health (DOH) was receiving more tests each day in the first half of June than it did in the final days of May, but the share of people testing positive is also going up.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, which have not entered Phase Two with the rest of the state, are still the main hot spots for the virus.
DOH shows 23,273 cases for Miami-Dade County, 532 more than on Tuesday. Wednesday’s update also shows 9,812 cases in Broward County, an increase of 314, and 9,472 in Palm Beach County, an increase of 210.
After recently becoming the fourth county to cross 3,000 cases, Hillsborough County became the next to cross 4,000 cases, now with 4,273. Orange County has the fifth-most cases, with 3,584.
5 comments
S. B. Anthony
June 17, 2020 at 1:14 pm
In a word, DeSantis is a liar, just like his Dear Leader.
Sonja Fitch
June 17, 2020 at 2:51 pm
Duffus Desantis does the bidding his lord and master goptrump cult leader trump! May god have mercy on your soul Desantis! If you ever doubted that it is really a cult. Compare Jones or David or some other cult that the leader demanded and got full power. The goptrump cult is a sick bunch of sociopaths following their leader!
Thomas Reynolds
June 17, 2020 at 5:28 pm
your a softy Sonja …. it’s …. MAY GOD HAVE NO MERCY ON YOUR SOUL …. may u ROT in HELL foe an Eternity!
kenneth
June 17, 2020 at 5:34 pm
She’s a racist.
How do you like Democrat Socialism? just like the third world isn’t it. Democrat Governor’s & Mayors philosophy? Police ordered to stand down while the city is looted and burned to the ground. Just to mention a few… (Cuomo, Newsom, Waltz, Bottoms, Frey, de Blasio, Pritzker, Inslee held back the Police to allow destruction of their cities and in some cases are still hindering Law Enforcement. The Democrats own it.
There is no moderate wing of the Democrat party people and they really don’t care about taxpayers except for their vote.. If you vote for Joe Biden, you are voting for Bernie Sanders, or Elizabeth Warren’s far left platform.. Joe will follow the radical left’s agenda or Joe won’t get the support (and he is)…of Val Demings, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Valerie Jarrett,. Rashida Talib, Stacy Abrams, Ayanna Pressley, Nancy Pelosi, Sheila Jackson Lee, Tom Perez, Maxine Waters, Al Green, and llhan Omar.
This is the core of the socialists leftist wing of the Democrat party in Washington and they are firmly in charge.
Democrat Platform & Goals:
(Democrat Taxpayers pay close attention, you’ll pay too)
*End all deportations of illegal aliens, if you get here, you stay. Bernie’s website calls it a “moratorium” on deportations.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Citizenship for 20 to 50 million illegal aliens, DACA & TPS recipients with a cost of billions.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Massive tax increases. All Democrat candidates have committed to tax increases of various amounts.
Democrats Yes tax increases.
Republicans No tax increases.
*De-fund & terminate border patrol & ICE.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Free Health Care for Illegal aliens, DACA, TPS recipients (taxpayer funded with one estimate at 52 trillion)
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Ending of all private / employer based health care. “Medicare for all”, Feds run everything.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Illegal Aliens eligible for welfare & food stamps. (Elizabeth Warrens plan adopted)
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No
*Reparations for race’s harmed by Caucasians. Joe Biden committed to “Reverend” Al Sharpton’s, support for Sheila Jackson Lee’s racist reparations bill in the House. Basically a tax will be levied on all Caucasians in America. (you can’t make this stuff up)
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
* Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Green new deal.(which would create massive unemployment, 100,000 jobs estimated in the transportation industry alone.)
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Sanctuary Cities & States. Joe Biden supports sanctuary city’s.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
* Border Security. (Democrats have fought against Border Security for 3 years).
Democrats No..
Republicans Yes.
*Free college for all, including illegal aliens (taxpayer funded estimates in the billions. Bernie Sanders plan adopted.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Decriminalization of illegal entry into our country.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Open Borders.
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
*Drivers licenses for illegal aliens.(already happening in states with Democrat leadership)
Democrats Yes.
Republicans No.
Democrats want to make this election all about President Trump. NOT their pathetic platform & Goals.
kenneth
June 17, 2020 at 5:32 pm
Ah the board racist at work, Ron is white so attack LOL
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