New coronavirus cases in Florida surged to 2,581 on Saturday, marking the highest number of positive tests reported in a single day statewide since the pandemic began, and the third consecutive day of a record-breaking climb in case numbers, according to the state Department of Health.
A total of 1,902 new cases were reported Friday, and 1,698 new positive tests were reported Thursday.
Statewide, 2,925 people have died as a result of COVID-19, with state health officials reporting 48 more deaths Saturday. Four of those fatalities were in the Tampa Bay area: two in Sarasota County, one in Manatee County and one in Polk County.
A total of 492 people tested positive in the Tampa Bay area, the highest number of cases in a day. The previous high, of 337 cases, was reported Thursday.
Hillsborough reported 209 new cases, the most in a day. The previous high was 147 reported Thursday.
Overall, the state has tallied 73,552 coronavirus cases. The "overall" rate of people testing positive for COVID-19 is five percent, but that rate rose to 6.2 percent on June 11, according to a DOH statement.
The daily Florida Department of Health report includes information released by the state on an individual day. Cases and deaths in the report may have happened days or weeks earlier, according to state officials.
On Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis said the week's climb in cases could be attributed to more testing.
"The prisons, they’ll have big time population and they’ll test positive. So we made a decision about three weeks ago to have all the local county health go into these communities and test, test, test. So you’re seeing part of it, is that. Another part of it you’re seeing now is we’re almost done testing all residents and staff at long term care facilities," DeSantis said.
This week, WUSF's Stephanie Colombini spoke with USF publich health professor Marissa Levine, who said some people take comfort in the knowledge that while testing is increasing, the rate of positive cases remains around five percent. However, these rising case counts are also cause for caution.
"The issue is, what it's also telling us is that COVID is still in our community. And it wouldn't take much for it to rapidly increase, especially if people let their guards down completely," Levine said.
Tampa Bay area positive tests as of Saturday, June 13:
- Hillsborough: 3,504
- Pinellas: 2,103
- Manatee: 1,353
- Polk: 1,414
- Sarasota: 741
- Pasco: 500
- Hernando: 135
Florida COVID-19 daily total of positive tests/deaths for the last two weeks:
- June 13: 2,581 / 48
- June 12: 1,902 / 29
- June 11: 1,698 / 47
- June 10: 1,371 / 36
- June 9: 1,096 / 53
- June 8: 966 / 12
- June 7: 1,180 / 12
- June 6: 1,270 / 28
- June 5: 1,305 / 53
- June 4: 1,419 / 41
- June 3: 1,317 / 36
- June 2: 617 / 70
- June 1: 667 / 9
- May 31: 739 / 4
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