JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The daily percent positives for COVID-19 cases are seeing a steady rise across the state of Florida, according to statistics released by the Florida Department of Health on Wednesday.
This trend can be seen in the daily percentage of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Duval County. On Saturday, June 13, 2.3% of people tested for COVID-19 tested positive for the virus. Since then, daily percentages have continued to rise and on Tuesday, June 16, 6.6% of people tested were confirmed positive for COVID-19 in Duval County.
Across Florida, the percentage of people who tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday was 12.52%, more than twice that of June 13, which was 5.36%.
The increases come despite numbers showing the rate of testing has remained about the same. This means Florida's curve is continuing to make an upward climb, one that started in the days following Phase One of reopening the state.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry maintained on Twitter Wednesday that COVID-19 hospitalizations and rescue transports remain low.
"Widespread transmission (of COVID-19) risked overloading healthcare systems with many people hospitalized at the same time," Curry said. "The shutdown ... was always based on that risk and (was) implemented to avoid overloading health care systems. That is what flattening the curve always meant."
Curry said the city is working with health systems, monitoring data and "will continue to act in the interest of public health."
