Sunday's report from the Florida Department of Health showed the state recorded another 6,229 positive cases of COVID-19 for Aug. 8. But, there were fewer deaths and new cases reported compared to the day prior.
The latest data brings the total number of cases statewide to 532,806 since March.
Florida and California are the only states that have had more than 500,000 cases of coronavirus. California currently has had the most cases with more than 550,000.
On August 9, the United States passed 5 million confirmed coronavirus cases, the highest recorded number in the world, according to the Associated Press. However, Florida has now gone more than two weeks without a daily total of newly-confirmed coronavirus cases above 10,000.
The median age of Floridians testing positive for the virus as of Saturday morning was 42.
The health department also reported 77 more Floridians had died after testing positive for coronavirus. That brings the total to 8,186 Floridians and 129 non-residents who have died after testing positive in the state since the pandemic began.
That does not necessarily mean all those people died on Aug. 8, but rather the state learned of their deaths and added the numbers to the report that day. The state's daily line-by-line report, which you can read here, lists coronavirus deaths by the date the people tested positive for the virus, not the date they passed.
The state's report released on July 31 of 257 newly confirmed deaths was the highest seen from the state in a single day's report. Florida reported 3,588 new deaths (Floridians and non-residents) just in July. That is more than 50 percent of the total number of deaths reported by the state.
As for testing, Sunday's report showed 85,343 test results were returned from labs on Aug. 8. Of those tests, 8.46 percent were positive for COVID-19.
It's important to note, testing sites on Florida's east coast were closed for several days last week because of potential impacts from Tropical Storm Isaias. Those sites reopened Monday morning.
When it comes to hospitalizations, 6,867 people were hospitalized with coronavirus as their primary diagnosis as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday. And, 1,227 of them are in the Tampa Bay area.
A total of 30,505 people in Florida have been hospitalized at some point during the pandemic.
Here's a breakdown of the new coronavirus cases reported to the state:
- June 21: 2,926
- June 22: 3,286
- June 23: 5,508
- June 24: 5,004
- June 25: 8,942
- June 26: 9,585
- June 27: 8,530
- June 28: 5,266
- June 29: 6,093
- June 30: 6,563
- July 1: 10,109
- July 2: 9,488
- July 3: 11,458
- July 4: 10,059
- July 5: 6,336
- July 6: 7,347
- July 7: 9,989
- July 8: 8,935
- July 9: 11,433
- July 10: 10,360
- July 11: 15,300
- July 12: 12,624
- July 13: 9,194
- July 14: 10,181
- July 15: 13,965
- July 16: 11,466
- July 17: 10,328
- July 18: 12,478
- July 19: 10,347
- July 20: 9,440
- July 21: 9,785
- July 22: 10,249
- July 23: 12,444
- July 24: 12,199
- July 25: 9,344
- July 26: 8,892
- July 27: 9,230
- July 28: 9,446
- July 29: 9,956
- July 30: 8,989
- July 31: 9,643
- August 1: 7,104
- August 2: 4,752
- August 3: 5,446
- August 4: 5,409
- August 5: 7,650
- August 6: 7,686
- August 7: 8,502
- August 8: 6,229
Breaking down the numbers
The highest single-day case number Florida has reported so far is 15,300 for July 11.
The World Health Organization and infectious disease experts around the globe have recommended a positivity rate of 5 percent or lower for a 14-day span in order to be comfortable reopening.
Florida has not seen a positivity rate at 5 percent since the beginning of June. For more than a month, the state has reported positivity rates at double and even triple that recommended percentage.
Sunday's and Monday's reports for Aug. 1 and 2, respectively, showed positivity rates below 10 percent for the first time since June 24.
Florida remains in Phase Two of reopening, which began June 5.
Hospitalizations and ICU bed availability
Cases are climbing, but what about hospitalizations?
Tracking hospitalizations got easier on July 10 when the Agency for Health Care Administration began publishing a spreadsheet with the number of people currently checked-in for coronavirus-related complications in Florida. The data only includes people whose "primary diagnosis" was COVID-19.
As of 10:30 a.m. Sunday, 6,867 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as their primary diagnosis statewide, and 1,227 of them were in the Tampa Bay area. Those numbers are frequently updated, and you can click here for the most recent data, which is also broken down by county.
Since the pandemic began, the state confirms a total of 30,505 residents were hospitalized at some point during their illness.
The Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA) also updates total hospital bed and ICU availability by county.
Click here for a breakdown of adult and pediatric ICU bed availability by county. You can also check ICU availability by the hospital.
Hospitalizations around Tampa Bay and total staffed hospital bed capacity status:
**Data as of 10:30 a.m. on August 9
Citrus:
- 28 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 69 of 291 total staffed hospital beds are available
DeSoto:
- 1 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 26 of 55 total staffed hospital beds are available
Hardee:
- 0 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 3 of 25 total staffed hospital beds are available
Hernando:
- 51 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 239 of 727 total staffed hospital beds are available
Highlands:
- 51 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 54 of 262 total staffed hospital beds are available
Hillsborough:
- 359 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 758 of 3,858 total staffed hospital beds are available
Manatee:
- 83 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 142 of 740 total staffed hospital beds are available
Pasco:
- 82 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 355 of 1,378 total staffed hospital beds are available
Pinellas:
- 262 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 713 of 2,879 total staffed hospital beds are available
Polk:
- 227 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 406 of 1,629 total staffed hospital beds are available
Sarasota:
- 83 COVID-19 hospitalizations
- 257 of 1,146 total staffed hospital beds are available