Jacksonville sees 840 new COVID-19 cases, demolishes daily record

Demand is so high for coronavirus tests at Lot J outside TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, cars are backed up on Bay Street wrapping around the stadium. Photo via Drew Dixon.

Jacksonville pulverized its own record for daily new coronavirus cases, according to Florida Department of Health data released Thursday.

There were 840 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Jacksonville at the end of Wednesday for a total of 14,992, up over Tuesday’s figure of 14,152. The new case total is twice the figure when the last daily record was set.

The previous single-day record for most additional cases in Jacksonville was set on July 1 when 767 new cases were added. That’s when Jacksonville had a total of 7,247 coronavirus cases.

The ominous new record comes as Republican Party officials announced there will be attendance restrictions due to the resurgence in COVID-19 in Jacksonville during the Republican National Convention set to take place  between Aug. 24-27. There will be crowd limits in the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena and many events will be moved outdoors to the city’s football stadium and adjacent amphitheater to help reduce the risk of spreading the illness. as the party formally nominates Donald Trump for another term as President.

“Admittance to the convention venue for the first three days of the convention celebration in Jacksonville (August 24, 25, 26) will be limited to regular delegates only. For the final day (Thursday, August 27) when President Trump will publicly accept the nomination, we plan that each delegate, their guest, and alternate delegates will be permitted to attend,” a GOP memo said.

Jacksonville showed no change in the number of fatalities, holding steady at 89. But 20 new hospitalizations due to coronavirus were recorded for a total of 462 as of Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the five-county First Coast region is poised to break 20,000 total cases as there were 1,130 new infections recorded in one day for a total of 19,789 Wednesday. There are now 152 total fatalities and 775 hospitalizations due to coronavirus in Northeast Florida.

St. Johns County added 99 cases for a total of 2,178. St. Johns was the only First Coast county to add a new fatality in Wednesday’s data as the county now has 14 total and 113 hospitalizations.

Clay County added 150 new COVID-19 cases for a total of 1,791 Wednesday. Clay had no changes in fatalities or hospitalizations.

Nassau county added 26 new cases and Baker County added 15.

Across Florida, there are now 315,775 total infections, 4,677 fatalities and 19,825 hospitalizations due to coronavirus.