Following two days where the death toll due to COVID-19 in Florida was below 110, state health officials recorded the deaths of 219 people since Monday's report.
That brings the total deaths due to COVID-19 in the state to 9,758.
In the greater Tampa Bay region, the deaths of 50 people were recorded since Monday's report, and over half of them, 27, were in Polk County.
It was the highest number of deaths in a 24-hour period for Polk County since the start of the pandemic. The previous high of 16 was recorded on July 28.
The deaths were recorded by the state since Monday's report, but may have happened days or weeks earlier.
The state had reported 87 deaths Monday and 107 Sunday.
Tuesday’s report from the Florida Department of Health showed an increase of 3,838 people testing positive for the coronavirus in the state since Monday's report, bringing the total to 579,932.
In the greater Tampa Bay region, there were 590 new positive tests.
Of the 56,884 tests returned to the state Monday, 7.91 % of those tested for the first time were positive. The positivity rate has been below ten percent since Wednesday.
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.
Greater Tampa Bay region positive tests as of Tuesday, August 18:
- Hillsborough: 34,605
- Pinellas: 18,876
- Polk: 15,607
- Manatee: 9,891
- Pasco: 7,527
- Sarasota: 6,764
- Hernando: 2,284
Florida COVID-19 daily total of positive tests/deaths for the last two weeks:
- August 18: 3,838 /219
- August 17: 2,678 /87
- August 16: 3,779 /107
- August 15: 6,352 /204
- August 14: 6,148 /228
- August 13: 6,236 /148
- August 12: 8,109 /212
- August 11: 5,831/276
- August 10: 4,155/91
- August 9: 6,229 / 77
- August 8: 8,502 / 182
- August 7: 7,686 / 180
- August 6: 7,650 / 120
- August 5: 5,409 / 225
