Drew Dixon
The First Coast region saw a notable slowdown in total new coronavirus cases and the positive test rate for the virus, according to Florida Department of Health data released Thursday.
The Northeast Florida region surpassed the 111,000 mark for total infections, but the daily increase of new cases went up by 920 infections. That’s the first time that figure was below 1,000 in about a week.
Meanwhile, the collective positivity test rate for the five-county area fell to 11.78%, down from the previous day’s rate of 14.77%. Thursday’s regional positivity test rate is the lowest figure for the region so far this year.
Deaths caused by COVID-19 ticked up by four in the region Thursday for a total of 1,238.
Jacksonville accounted for much of the shift in easing numbers as the city recorded 73,138 cases Thursday, up from 72,579 Wednesday. Jacksonville added two new deaths for a total of 788.
Jacksonville showed an 8.91% positivity rate. That’s the first time Jacksonville’s test rate fell below 10% this year and it’s the first time the city registered a positivity rate below 10% since Dec. 22 when it was 9.58%. Thursday’s rate is also the lowest since Dec. 20 when it was 8.63%.
In other areas of the First Coast:
— St. Johns County broke 16,000, landing at 16,073 total cases. St. Johns added one death for a total of 130 and a positivity rate of 10.71%.
— Clay County now has 13,618 infections, held steady at 209 deaths and registered a positivity testing rate of 12.82%.
— Nassau County inched up to 6,003 total cases, added one death for a total of 72 and a 11.67% positivity test rate.
— Baker County now has 2,766 cases, stayed at 39 deaths and recorded a positivity test rate of 14.81%.
Across the state, there are now 1,531,192 total infections and 23,981 fatalities caused by the pandemic.
