The state of Florida reported 3,656 new coronavirus cases Saturday. The new cases bring the state’s overall total to 643,867 since March.
The state reported 245 new hospitalized patients on Thursday, bringing the number of people who stayed in hospitals due to the virus since March to 39,912.
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According to the Agency for Health Care Administration, there were 3,244 people receiving care primarily for coronavirus at hospitals across Florida on Saturday.
The Florida Department of Health reported an additional 61 people had recently died as a result of complications from COVID-19. Florida’s death toll from COVID-19 now stands at 11,964 and includes 153 non-residents and 11,811 Florida residents.
Virus-related deaths are often delayed in reporting, which means those individuals likely died within the past two weeks.
The positivity rate -- the percent of people who tested positive for the first time compared to the overall tests for the day was 5.99% as of Saturday’s report.
Infectious disease experts say the rate should remain below 10% for at least two weeks to show a decline in infections. Florida’s rate of infection has remained below 10% since Aug. 12.
As Florida officially sees a decline in positive cases, health officials fear that the Labor Day holiday will bring large groups together and cause people to let their guard down.
“Please, please do not make the same mistakes we all made on Memorial Day weekend. Wear your masks, watch your distance and wash your hands and we will continue to decrease this and put it under control,” Dr. Raul Pino, of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County said.
[SEE FRIDAY’S REPORT: Health officials urge caution ahead of Labor Day with Florida coronavirus cases stabilizing]
Below is a breakdown of COVID-19 cases in the Central Florida region:
| County | Total Cases | New Cases | Total Hospitalizations | New Hospitalizations | Total Deaths | New Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevard | 7,598 | 66 | 689 | 7 | 234 | 6 |
| Flagler | 1,393 | 26 | 111 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| Lake | 6,754 | 71 | 460 | 6 | 129 | 1 |
| Marion | 8,794 | 56 | 814 | 11 | 212 | 3 |
| Orange | 36,966 | 139 | 1,134 | 11 | 387 | 1 |
| Osceola | 11,472 | 66 | 565 | 3 | 133 | 0 |
| Polk | 17,693 | 127 | 1,903 | 11 | 468 | 4 |
| Seminole | 8,325 | 26 | 590 | 1 | 179 | 2 |
| Sumter | 2,021 | 36 | 219 | 1 | 55 | 0 |
| Volusia | 9,735 | 87 | 720 | 2 | 196 | 0 |
Editor’s note: The numbers and data referenced in this story are publicly available on the Florida Department of Health website here and on the AHCA dashboard here.
Here are a couple things to know about coronavirus in Central Florida and across the U.S. for Saturday:
- Orange County worksites test positive: By the end of the school week on Friday, Orange County has issued 373 quarantine letters to specific students and/or staff at 27 schools across the district, according to a statement from the district. Based on the names of schools with cases released by OCPS last week and on Tuesday, some campuses have multiple COVID-19 cases. There are now 50 schools and worksites, including food and transportation services, with cases. The school district has more than 200 schools, according to its website. To read more, click or tap here.
- SeaWorld terminates furloughed employees: According to a report, SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. has “committed to a plan of termination, primarily impacting some of the company’s currently furloughed employees.” Earlier this year, the coronavirus pandemic closed theme parks, including SeaWorld’s, which caused the company to furlough 90% of its employees, in a move the new filing suggests the company believed would be temporary. The company’s parks have reopened with limited capacity but the financial impacts from the ongoing pandemic are greater than SeaWorld officials initially anticipated, the document suggests.