A week after Florida reached a peak for new cases of coronavirus, cases began to decline. However, deaths from COVID-19 rose sharply to a record level.
Florida recorded 129,240 new cases, almost 22,000 fewer than last week when the state health department’s report showed an additional 151,749 cases of the coronavirus — the highest weekly total yet.
From Aug. 27 to Sept. 2, deaths from COVID-19 leapt by 2,345, the highest for a single week.
The majority of new cases for the week ending Thursday were among children under 12 for the second week in a row, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.
There were 23,557 cases in children under 12, down from more than 26,000 last week. The next highest number was 20,203 cases in the age group of 30-39.
Vaccinations have not yet been approved for children 11 and younger.
According to daily numbers reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on Friday, the state recorded 17,506 new cases of coronavirus, which is almost 10,000 fewer than last Friday.
Hospitalizations for COVID-19 declined by another 372 patients to 14,577. Just over a week ago, hospitalizations were hovering around 17,000.
There were also 73 fewer people in the state's intensive care beds.
Each week, the Florida Department of Health provides updates on the number of coronavirus cases, changes in positivity rate, vaccinations, and other statewide and county-by-county data.
The following is a summary from Aug. 27-Sept. 2, 2021.
Cases: 3,308,916 positive cases, an increase of 129,240 from the previous week.
Vaccinations: 13,124,436 Florida residents have been vaccinated, a weekly increase of 174,756. In all, 69% of Florida’s population over the age of 12 has received at least one dose of vaccine.
Positivity Rate: The positivity rate for new cases was 15.2%, down from 16.8% the previous week.
Deaths: A total of 46,324 Florida residents have died from a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, an increase of 2,345 from the previous week.
(NOTE: Cases and deaths in the report may have happened days or weeks earlier, according to state officials. The state is also now only counting deaths involving Florida residents.)
County Breakdown:
(Aug 27-Sept. 2, 2021)
| County | Cases (Increase) | Positivity (prv.) | # Vaccinations | % Vaccinated (prv.) | |
| Hillsborough | 215,506 (9,773) | 17.4% (18.9%) | 814.027 | 63% (62%) | |
| Pinellas | 119,980 (5,693) | 16.3% (18.0%) | 577,145 | 65% (64%) | |
| Polk | 114,059 (6,174) | 19.6% (23.2%) | 374,719 | 61% (59%) | |
| Sarasota | 49,079 (2,880) | 15.3% (16.5%) | 298,290 | 74% (73%) | |
| Manatee | 57,671 (3,062) | 16.6% (16.6%) | 232,780 | 65% (64%) | |
| Pasco | 68,693 (3,840) | 19.4% (21.2%) | 302,375 | 63% (62%) | |
| Hernando | 25,084 (1,303) | 19.9% (25.9%) | 98,603 | 57% (56%) |
ABOUT THE DATA: As of June 4, 2021, the Florida Department of Health no longer offers daily updates on coronavirus data, and instead issues a county-by-county and statewide weekly breakdown on about COVID-19 cases, deaths, and other information. Cases and deaths in the report may have happened days or weeks earlier, according to state officials. The state is also now only counting deaths involving Florida residents.
