Florida has now passed 1 million COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic as the numbers released on Tuesday showed the state had now had 1,008,166 confirmed cases.
On Tuesday the state added 8,847 coronavirus infections and 82 deaths. There was a plateau of sorts at the end of summer and the numbers seemed to be reaching a manageable level. Then in October, that quickly shifted and there has since been a steady increase on all fronts: infections, hospitalizations and deaths. There was even a several-week plateau in the fall, but then the holidays hit and the numbers have once more shot through the roof.
In just the last two weeks, the total number of coronavirus patients admitted to hospitals has increased by approximately 30 percent, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.
Of the 8,847 new coronavirus infections and 82 deaths added on Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Region had 1,227 cases and 26 deaths. To further break that down, Polk County had 10 deaths, Pinellas had nine, Hernando had five deaths and Hillsborough and Manatee counties each had one death. Pasco and Citrus did not report any new deaths.
However, there is a shift in total cases when you add the latest counts to the rest of the data. With Monday’s numbers, Hillsborough has now had 58,749 cases and 938 deaths. Pinellas is the second-highest with has 33,246 cases and 915 deaths. Polk has had 27,822 cases and 690 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Manatee has a total of 17,006 cases and 379 deaths while Pasco has 15,041 cases and 278 deaths reported. Hernando has 5,052 cases and 222 deaths and Citrus has had the least amount of infections with 4,790 cases and 172 deaths reported since the start of the pandemic.
Thanksgiving is now officially over but health officials are warning that signs sometimes take days, if not weeks, to appear and thus they are cautioning those who traveled or gathered in large groups to take into consideration the fact they may be infected. The infection numbers are expected to jump in the following weeks as data from contagions at the holiday will begin to trickle in.
Of course, Thanksgiving is just the start of the holidays, which many are labeling as a potential super-spreader event. Advent, Hanukkah, the Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Years and many others are all ahead. While the actual holidays themselves are inarguably potential spreaders, the preparation for each event — shopping, holiday photos, parties, religious gatherings, etc. — make the next few weeks a dangerous time for any heading out and about.
The basic guidelines to social distance when possible, wash your hands and wear a mask make an impact, but they are not guaranteed to completely prevent the spread. Health officials ask for those who plan to celebrate to consider their opinions and do so as safely as possible.
Testing is one way to help ensure you’re not infected before you show up to an event. However, testing sites are experiencing longer lines than ever. If you do plan to visit a county, state or private testing location it is recommended you get there early or make an appointment if offered by said location.