Jacob Ogles
The Florida Department of Health reported more than 7,700 new cases of coronavirus overnight. Another 226 COVID-19-related deaths were also recorded.
The latest data released Thursday by the state shows 1,752,330 positive tests tabulated in the state since the start of the pandemic last March. That includes 1,720,760 Florida residents, and 31,570 out-of-state visitors who tested positive while here.
That’s an increase of 7,712 cases since data was last released on Wednesday.
The total number of deaths has climbed to 27,698, including 27,247 Floridians and 451 who live elsewhere but died in the state.
Total hospitalizations over the course of the pandemic rose to 73,631.
The positivity rate for tests reported in Florida on Wednesday climbed to 11.32%, with 11,724 positive tests tabulated and 91,842 negative tests.
That’s the fourth day in a row positivity stayed above 10%, a sign the spread of the virus is not under control. But the positivity rate for only new Florida cases is at 8.76%.
Meanwhile, the total number of individuals vaccinated in Florida climbed to 1,842,730. That includes 1,364,494 who have received only a first shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. A total of 478,236 have already received both a first shot and a booster, completing the regimen of recommended doses.
There have now been 1,337,688 individuals age 65 and older vaccinated in Florida, a priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The Governor also announced on Thursday he will refocus state vaccination efforts on outreach to communities of faith. He held a press event at Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center and said the state would work with that institution, the Islamic Center of Greater Miami and Trinity Church in Miami Gardens in hopes of reaching those populations through their places of worship.
Additionally, the first 750 shots from a new weekly allotment of 1,500 vaccines for homebound seniors would go to Holocaust survivors.
Editor’s note on methodology: The Florida Department of Health releases new data every morning around 10:45 a.m. The total number reported in those daily reports include the previous day’s totals as well as the most up to date data as of about 9:30 a.m.
Florida Politics uses the report-over-report increase to document the number of new cases each day because it represents the most up-to-date data available. Some of the more specific data, including positivity rates and demographics, considers a different data set that includes only cases reported the previous day.
This is important to note because the DOH report lists different daily totals than our methodology to show day-over-day trends. Their numbers do not include non-residents who tested positive in the state and they only include single-day data, therefore some data in the DOH report may appear lower than what we report.
Our methodology was established based on careful consideration among our editorial staff to capture both the most recent and accurate trends.
