Florida COVID-19-related deaths top 26K

The state of Florida has now recorded more than 26,000 COVID-19-related deaths.

The newest data available from the Department of Health shows that 26,080 such deaths occurred in the state since the coronavirus first surfaced here in March. That includes 25,673 Florida residents and 407 visitors who passed away here. The total number includes 387 new deaths added to the state database overnight.

The deaths represent a subset of the 1,667,763 positive COVID-19 tests reported by various agencies to the state. That’s a jump of 9,594 cases since Monday. The total includes 1,637,296 Florida residents and 30,467 out-of-staters tested here.

A total of 70,802 Florida residents have been hospitalized with COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic.

On Monday, about 11.54% of tests reported to the state came back positive, or 14,224 compared to 109,042 that came back negative. That means positivity rates for the past three days were all above 10% and that spread of the coronavirus is not under control. The positivity rate on Friday dipped below 10% but that’s the only time in the last month that has been the case.

About 83% of deaths in the state were patients age 65 and older, which has motivated state officials to open vaccines to all in that age bracket.

Along that line, the state continues to report a steady increase in vaccinations. A total of 1,446,580 individuals have been vaccinated in the state to date, according to a Tuesday report. That’s 39,169 more than the state reported as of Monday.

Of those, 1,270,739 are individuals who have received only a first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and another 175,841 have received a booster and completed the shot schedule.

That’s a significant batch of data considering tension between President Joe Biden’s administration and Gov. Ron DeSantis.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said this week Florida had only distributed roughly half the vaccines the feds provided.

But DeSantis said that was “disingenuous,” and apparently a suggestion the state should be giving more shots out to individuals rather than saving them for use as boosters after individuals receive a first shot. The state has requested more vaccines to be sent to Florida.

Another data point released in Florida’s reports, Tuesday marked the first time Florida officially reported more than 1 million seniors had been vaccinated. As of Tuesday, 1,001,087 individuals age 65 and older had received at least a first vaccine inoculation.