Florida reported the positivity on new COVID-19 tests is more than 5% for the first time since Sept. 10, with 2,470 new coronavirus cases added Tuesday.
The Florida Department of Health said in its daily report that 5.88% of people tested Monday obtained a new positive result. The number of tests reported statewide rose to 44,908 – almost half the number reported on some days last week.
With the new cases, the total number of people in Florida who have tested positive for the coronavirus has grown to 687,909 since the start of the pandemic. Tuesday's numbers include 367 new cases in the greater Tampa Bay region.
On the day the U.S. coronavirus-related death toll surpassed 200,000, the deaths of 99 people were recorded statewide.
Nine of the deaths were in the greater Tampa Bay region, with five reported in Polk County. The deaths recorded Tuesday may have occurred days or weeks earlier.
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, September 22:\
- Hillsborough: 41,016
- Pinellas: 21,620
- Polk: 19,339
- Manatee: 11,279
- Pasco: 8,934
- Sarasota: 7,912
- Hernando: 3,037
Florida COVID-19 daily total of positive tests/deaths for the last two weeks:
- Sept. 22: 2,470/99
- Sept. 21: 1,685/21
- Sept. 20: 2,521/9
- Sept. 19: 3,573/63
- Sept. 18: 3,204/140
- Sept. 17: 3,255/147
- Sept. 16: 2,355/154
- Sept. 15: 3,116/146
- Sept. 14: 1,736/36
- Sept. 13: 2,423/8
- Sept. 12: 3,190/98
- Sept. 11: 3,650/176
- Sept. 10: 2,583/213
- Sept. 9: 2,056/202
