Florida reports largest, single-day increase in Covid cases
The Associated Press
Florida on Sunday reported the largest single-day increase in positive coronavirus cases in any one state since the beginning of the pandemic.
According to state Department of Health statistics, 15,299 people tested positive, for a total of 269,811 cases.
California had the previous record of daily positive cases — 11,694, four days ago. New York had 11,571 on April 15.
The numbers come at the end of a grim, record-breaking week in Florida, with about 500 fatalities. On Sunday, 45 more deaths were reported. Throughout May and into June, the state reopened much of its economy with some restrictions.
More Floridians died of coronavirus this week than in any other seven-day period. The state recorded nearly 500 deaths over the last seven days, an average of 71 per day.
The worst week previously was in early May when the state average 60 deaths per day. Because of the economic shutdown, that rate dropped sharply and three weeks ago the death rate was 30.
For two weeks it crept up before exploding the last three days. Since March 1, the state has reported more than 254,500 confirmed cases and about 4,300 deaths.
Harvard Global Health Institute map shows elevated risk of coronavirus for most Florida Counties.
Matthew Peddie, WMFE
The Harvard Global Health Initiative's interactive map shows the COVID-19 risk for each county in the U.S.
Risk levels are calculated based on a rolling 7 day average of cases per 100,000 people. Green indicates fewer than 1 daily coronavirus case per 100,000 people, while at the other end of the scale red indicates more than 25 daily cases per 100,000 people.
44 of Florida's 67 counties were in the red as of Friday.
Statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations climb
Matthew Peddie, WMFE
7,486 people are currently hospitalized in Florida with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 according to the latest figures from the Agency for Health Care Administration.
Orange county has the highest number of hospitalizations in Central Florida, with 542 in hospital with COVID-19.
On Friday, 6,974 people were reported hospitalized.
Other hospitalization data for Central Florida:
Osceola County: 206
Seminole County: 178
Volusia County: 135
Brevard County: 124
Polk County: 145
Lake County: 119
Sumter County: 20
Marion County: 88
To see how many people are hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 in your county,click here.
Hospitals statewide at 81% ICU bed capacity
Florida has 4,969 adult patients in ICU, with a further 1,162 ICU beds available, according to the AHCA.
Pediatric ICU is currently at 63% capacity statewide.
Orange County currently has 277 adult patients in ICU, with 92 beds available. Marion County has 73 patients in ICU and 14 ICU beds available; Seminole has 64 ICU patients with 9 ICU beds available and Polk County has 156 ICU patients with 12 beds available.
To see how many available ICU beds are in your county, click here.
It's Trump's call on what the GOP convention will look like
The Associated Press
President Donald Trump is slowly coming to accept that the Republican National Convention won't be the four-night infomercial for his reelection that he'd anticipated.
Already the late August event has moved from North Carolina to Florida, and now coronavirus cases are spiking and there's an economic recession.
Trump aides and allies are increasingly questioning whether the convention will be worth the trouble. Some are advocating that it be scrapped altogether.
They reason that conventions are meant to lay out a candidate’s vision for the coming four years, not spark months of intrigue over the health and safety those who attend. Ultimately, the call on whether to move forward will be Trump’s alone.