Hillsborough Co. reports highest positivity rate since early February

Hillsborough County reported its highest single-day positivity rate since early February, according to Florida Department of Health data released Tuesday.

The county’s positivity rate on Monday was notably higher than it has been in the past two weeks, which hovered around 7%. Monday’s rate was 9.17%, the closest its gotten to 10% — a marker health professionals define as an indicator of mass community spread  — in more than a month.

Monday’s positivity rate was the highest the county has seen since Feb. 2, when it reported a rate of 10.25%.

It is unclear whether Monday’s positivity rate is an outlier or if it’s an indication of a coming spike as people grow restless to return to normal.

The county also confirmed 403 new cases on Monday — a small increase from the county’s previous two weeks, in which the county has been reporting daily numbers around 300.

Hillsborough County reported 11 new deaths in the latest report, and seven additional hospitalizations. Since the start of the pandemic, the county has confirmed 116,309 cases of COVID-19, and 1,566 ensuing deaths.

Pinellas County continued to report low numbers on Monday, confirming 143 new cases of COVID-19. Pinellas County has so far recorded 69,334 cases.

The county also reported 10 new deaths in its latest report, bringing the death toll to 1,520. The county also saw 14 additional hospitalizations.

Pinellas County’s positivity rate has stayed near 5% in the past two weeks, coming in Monday at 5.22%.

Both counties are working hard to get shots into arms, each having surpassed 200,000 vaccinations so far.

Hillsborough County has vaccinated 229,678 individuals, including 117,624 who are fully vaccinated either through a two-shot regimen of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or through the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to the state’s latest vaccination report. On Monday alone, the county vaccinated 2,958 people.

Pinellas County has vaccinated 205,196 individuals, 112,809 of whom are fully vaccinated. The county administered 5,354 vaccines on Monday.