Kelly Hayes
The Tampa Bay area is continuing to see COVID-19 cases go down compared to recent weeks — positive news as the area prepares to host the 2021 Super Bowl.
Hillsborough County reported 410 cases Tuesday, down from Monday’s 499, according to Florida Department of Health data released Wednesday.
The county confirmed six additional hospitalizations and 12 new deaths in the latest report, bringing its death toll to 1,270.
The county has reported 98,230 since the start of the pandemic.
In neighboring Pinellas County, only 285 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed Tuesday, also down from Monday’s 305. The county has seen 57,774 so far.
The county reported 20 additional hospitalizations and six new deaths in the latest report. The county has seen 1,269 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Pinellas County did see its positivity rate jump compared to the past couple days. On Tuesday, it reported a positivity rate of 10.39% — a significant leap from Monday’s 7.63%.
Hillsborough continues to see a steady positivity rate dancing around 10% — a marker of mass community spread. On Tuesday, the county reported a rate of 9.39%.
Both counties are also continuing vaccination efforts for seniors.
Hillsborough County has so far vaccinated 68,624 individuals, 13,734 of whom have completed the series, according to the latest state vaccine report. Pinellas County has vaccinated 66,648 people, including 12,574 who have received a second dose.
