Janelle Irwin Taylor
Hillsborough County blew past the 8,000 mark Thursday after the Florida Department of Health reported another 683 new cases of COVID-19 Friday.
Thursday’s caseload is the second highest single-day report since the pandemic landed in Florida in early March. Thursday’s new cases fell just short of the previous record, 711 reported Tuesday, revised upward from 709.
Showing just how remarkable those numbers are, the third highest date on record was Wednesday with 437 new cases.
The county’s positivity rate also continues an alarming trend, landing at 16.7% Thursday, up from 10.2% Wednesday, but down from 20.5% Tuesday. The seven-day average is now 15%.
In one week, the county added 3,272 new cases, 40% of the county’s entire caseload.
In Pinellas County, the trend is similar. The county reported 429 new cases Thursday, shattering its previous record off 350 set just Tuesday.
The county also surpassed 5,000 cases Thursday, landing at 5,099.
Its positivity rate also continues to rise, landing at 11.3% Thursday, which is up from 8.8% Wednesday. The county’s seven-day average is now 12%.
The county has added 2,048 new cases in the past seven days, also 40% of its entire caseload.
Hillsborough County added a staggering five new deaths Thursday while Pinellas added four. So far 132 people have died in Hillsborough County and 141 in Pinellas. Five additional people were hospitalized in Hillsborough County, up to 597. Pinellas hospitalized 21 additional COVID-19 patients, growing its total to 610.
The numbers come as Florida as a whole shattered its previous record high, adding nearly 9,000 new cases Thursday. While Gov. Ron DeSantis has been reluctant to roll back his reopening plans, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation announced shortly after the new data was released that bars would close again. That order does not affect restaurants, however.
