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Hospitalizations For COVID-19 Continue To Rise Across Florida

Florida Department of Health

The Florida Department of Health reported 5,885 people tested positive for the coronavirus since Tuesday's report, bringing the total number of cases statewide to 2,096,747.

The state also reported a slight increase in hospitalizations from a primary diagnosis of COVID-19. Another 98 were hospitalized on Wednsday, lifting the total to 3,105 across Florida.

That’s the highest number of current hospitalizations since March 12, when 3,116 people were hospitalized.

Wednesday's report showed that out of the 42 new deaths recorded across the state, four occurred in the Tampa Bay area. The statewide death total now stands at 34,476.

Of the 98,761 tests returned on Tuesday, 6.95% of those tested for the first time were positive.

Florida opened vaccines to anyone over the age of 18 Monday. Sixteen and 17-year-olds can also get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. As of Wednesday, just over 6.63 million people in Florida had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 3.9 million people being fully vaccinated.

State Totals (as of Wednesday, April 7)

  • Positive Tests – 2,096,747
  • Deaths – 34,476


Daily Changes:

  • State: Positive Tests – 5,885| Deaths – 42
  • Greater Tampa Bay region: Positive Tests – 1,323 | Deaths – 4


Daily Testing (statewide):

  • Tests Received – 98,761 | Positivity Rate – 6.95%


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.

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

  • April 7: 5,885/42
  • April 6: 5,556/70
  • April 5: 3,480/36
  • April 4: 4,794/22
  • April 3: 6,017/67
  • April 2: 6,490/96
  • April 1: 6,790/71
  • March 31: 5,294/89
  • March 30: 5,062/92
  • March 29: 3,374/72
  • March 28: 4,943/36
  • March 27: 5,883/27
  • March 26: 5,750/167
  • March 25: 5,773/109

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Daylina Miller, multimedia reporter for Health News Florida, was hired to help further expand health coverage statewide.