Florida set a new milestone in the number of positive coronavirus cases reported in a 24-hour period.
The Florida Department of Health reported Thursday that 10,109 people tested positive for the coronavirus in a 24-hour period, eclipsing the previous high of 9,585 reported on June 27.
This brings the statewide total to 169,106.
Thursday marked the ninth straight day the number of new cases surpassed 5,000, and occurred on the same day Vice President Mike Pence was scheduled to arrive in Tampa to discuss the recent spike with Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Of the 68,821 tests reported Wednesday, 16.78% came back positive.
In the Tampa Bay area, the state reported 2,028 more people tested positive in the 24-hour period since the Wednesday report. It was the second highest daily total for the region, only surpassed by the 2,854 positive cases also reported on June 27.
The state also reported 67 deaths in 24 hours, bringing the statewide total to 3,617
Sixteen of the deaths were in the Tampa Bay area -- including eight in Pinellas County -- and health officials provided information on age, county and gender for 15 of them.
The state recorded 325 hospitalizations on Thursday, bringing the statewide total to 15,150.
In Hillsborough County, health officials are concerned about a local rise in hospitalizations.
Dr. Douglas Holt with the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough told the county’s Emergency Policy Group on Thursday that the average number of COVID-19 hospitalizations for the past week is 294, up 42 percent from the previous week.
New admissions for COVID-19 are also increasing, with 60 or more patients admitted every day since June 23, with a high of 87 patients on June 26.
Despite these increases, Holt said hospital capacity remains relatively stable.
About 75 percent of beds in general hospital areas are occupied, according to the seven-day average. And about 85 percent of beds in intensive care units are occupied. Those rates are slightly higher from the week before, rising five percent and six percent, respectively.
“There's not a bed shortage in the general beds, but we are starting to see a squeeze in our ICU bed availability,” Holt said.
The county also saw more young adults needing hospital care.
ABOUT THE DATA:
The Florida Department of Health produces a daily update around 11 a.m. with information about COVID-19 cases and deaths that were reported over the previous 24 hours. Cases and deaths in the report may have happened days or weeks earlier, according to state officials. The state separately tracks cases and deaths that occurred on specific days on its dashboard and those totals are frequently updated.
Tampa Bay area county deaths recorded Thursday, July 2:
- Hillsborough: Four women; ages 54, 78, 84 and 95, and an 87-year-old man.
- Pinellas: Four men; ages 54, 88, 85 and 88, and four women; ages 79, 89, 95 and 101.
- Manatee: A 42-year-old man.
- Sarasota: A 73-year-old man.
Tampa Bay area positive tests as of Thursday, July 2:
- Hillsborough: 12,376
- Pinellas: 7,249
- Polk: 4,327
- Manatee: 3,175
- Pasco: 2,274
- Sarasota: 1,707
- Hernando: 451
Florida COVID-19 daily total of positive tests/deaths for the last two weeks:
- July 2: 10,109 / 67
- July 1: 6,563 / 45
- June 30: 6,093 / 58
- June 29: 5,255 / 28
- June 28: 8,530 / 29
- June 27: 9,585 / 24
- June 26: 8,942 / 39
- June 25: 5,004 / 46
- June 24: 5,511 / 43
- June 23: 3,286 / 65
- June 22: 2,926 / 12
- June 21: 3,494 / 17
- June 20: 4,049 / 40
- June 19: 3,822 / 43
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