Florida Daily Coronavirus Deaths Again Exceed 200; Hillsborough County Records 31 Deaths

WUSF | By Lisa Peakes

Published August 13, 2020 at 7:42 AM EDT

COVID-19-related deaths in Florida again surpassed 200 in the most recent 24-hour period. It's the seventh time since July 29 that daily statewide deaths were over 200.

The number of people whose deaths were attributed to the coronavirus over a 24-hour period in Florida was again over 200 Wednesday, according to state health officials.

It’s the second straight day the death toll has been over 200, and the seventh time it has exceeded that figure since July 29.

The Department of Health reported 212 deaths since Tuesday’s report, bringing the total dead in the state due to COVID-19 complications to 8,765.

In the greater Tampa Bay region, the deaths of 68 people were recorded since yesterday’s report, and almost half of them, 31, were in Hillsborough County. It's the second-highest daily death toll for the county. Forty deaths were reported in the county on July 16.

The deaths were recorded by the state since Tuesday's report, but may have happened days or weeks earlier.

Since Tuesday’s report, 8,109 people tested positive for COVID-19 statewide, bringing the total cases to 550,901.

In the greater Tampa Bay region, there were 714 new cases.

Of the 81,197 tests returned to the state Tuesday, 11.89% of those tested for the first time were positive. The last time the positivity rate was 12% or above was on July 30.

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 Wednesday, August 12:

Hillsborough: 33,198
Pinellas: 18,217
Polk: 14,812
Manatee: 9,468
Pasco: 7,213
Sarasota: 6,394
Hernando: 2,106

Florida COVID-19 daily total of positive tests/deaths for the last two weeks:

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
August 4: 5,446 / 245
August 3: 4,752 / 73
August 2: 7,104 / 62
August 1: 9,642 / 179
July 31: 9,007 / 257
July 30: 9,956 /253