Kelly Hayes
Over the weekend, Hillsborough and Pinellas County reported 49 new deaths from COVID-19, according to Florida Department of Health data released Monday.
Hillsborough County confirmed 17 additional deaths from Saturday and Sunday, and Pinellas County reported 32 new deaths. Pinellas has recorded two more deaths than Hillsborough since the start of the pandemic, despite having significantly fewer total cases of the virus. Hillsborough has recorded a death toll of 1,250 and Pinellas 1,252.
Over the weekend, Pinellas added 28 new hospitalizations and Hillsborough saw eight, again marking the more dire outcomes in Pinellas County.
The two counties have both been gradually reporting fewer and fewer cases.
Hillsborough County confirmed 945 new cases of COVID-19 over Saturday and Sunday.
The county saw 455 cases on Saturday, and 490 cases on Sunday — keeping with its trend last week, despite two days of reporting nearing 850. The weekend brings Hillsborough’s caseload to 97,288 since the start of the pandemic.
Pinellas, on the other hand, confirmed 609 cases over the weekend — 346 cases of Saturday and 263 Sunday, continuing its trend downward of daily reported cases.
Pinellas County also reported a positivity rate of 8.82% on Sunday, a jump up from the past few days, when the positivity rate hit the target 5%.
Hillsborough County reached a 10.57% positivity rate on Sunday, up from 8% seen in the days prior. A 10% positivity rate is a measure that is used to mark mass community spread.
As far as vaccinations, Pinellas County has administered vaccines to 61,464 individuals — 9,588 of whom have received their second dose, according to the latest state vaccination report. In Hillsborough, 61,068 people have been vaccinated, including 11,441 who have completed the series.
