As of 11 a.m. Thursday, there are 557,137 total cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Florida, an increase of 6,236 since FDOH’s last update Wednesday morning.

More than 34,612 test results were reported to the Department of Health on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The positivity percentage of Wednesday’s test results was not available from the Department of Health as of press time Thursday. Overall, the current percent positivity off all tests is 13.49.

The average positivity rate in daily reports over the last two weeks as of Aug. 12 was 10.10.

The state saw its highest daily percentage of positive patients July 8, when 18.50 percent of tests reported were positive among 51,686 tests.

The death toll increased by 149 (148 Florida residents, one non-Florida resident) from Wednesday’s update. On Tuesday, the state reported an increase of 277 deaths; the highest single-day increase in deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Wednesday’s death toll was reported among Lee, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dade, Duval, Escambia, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Lake, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Volusia and Walton counties.

This does not mean all of the deaths occurred or were reported by local health care facilities on that day but that they were released in the state report that day after reports were processed.

A total of 4,128,584 individuals have been tested with 3,564,981 testing negative. As of Wednesday, 6,393 tests were inconclusive and 3,529 tests were pending results. Of those testing positive, 32,537 (+590) Florida residents have been hospitalized at some point during their illness according to the state. There have been 9,047 deaths.

The age groups of Florida residents that have yielded the most positive test results are 25-34 years old (19%), followed by 35-44 (17%), 45-54 (16%) and 15-24 (15%).

The highest hospitalization rate is found in patients 65-74 (19%), 75-84 (18%) and 55-64 (18%) years old.

In Lee County, 17,039 (+167) individuals have tested positive as of 11 a.m. Thursday. Case count by municipality was not available as of press time Thursday. As of Wednesday, there were 6,836 in Fort Myers, 3,862 in Cape Coral, 3,379 in Lehigh Acres, 1,092 in Bonita Springs, 620 in North Fort Myers, 376 in Estero, 102 in Alva, 67 on Fort Myers Beach, 40 in Sanibel, 32 in Bokeelia, 24 in Saint James City, 16 in Tice, 13 on Matlacha, four in Buckingham, four in Boca Grande, three on Captiva, three in Miromar Lakes, two in San Carlos Park, one in South Fort Myers and one in Immokalee; 100 cases were not identified by community.

Positive COVID-19 cases in the county have ranged from infants to a 101-year-old. Lee County saw its first two cases on March 7, when a man and a woman, each 77, tested positive. They had traveled to the Dominican Republic.

There have been 368 (+6) deaths in Lee County; as of Wednesday, 192 of those deaths were reported in residents or staff of long-term care facilities.

As of Thursday, Lee Health had 165 COVID-19 patients isolated in system inpatient hospitals, including 11 new admissions on Wednesday.

A total of 2,257 patients who had tested positive have been discharged since the beginning of the pandemic, including 17 on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Lee Health had a 15.4 percent positivity rate on COVID-19 tests processed through Lee Health Labs. This represents Lee Health results only, not Lee County as a whole. Hospital positivity rates tend to be higher as the tests are performed on patients seeking treatment for a health issue, not the general public that includes asymptomatic individuals.

Current census is at 85 (+3)% of staffed operational bed capacity, with 14.2(-1.4)% of those being COVID-19 patients. Staffed operational capacity reflects the number of beds for which the hospital has adequate staffing, not the total number of beds within Lee Health hospitals. Overall bed capacity fluctuates hour to hour as the system discharges patients throughout the day who are ready to go home.

As of Thursday, 67 (-3)% of ventilators and 24 (+1)% of ICU rooms are available for use across Lee Health facilities.

There are currently 23 (+0) COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 29 (-1) in the intensive care unit.

COVID-19 is a highly contagious viral disease. For most individuals, symptoms are mild. For a minority, the disease becomes a type of viral pneumonia with severe complications. Especially at risk are those who are older, those with underlying health conditions and the immune-compromised.

Officials strongly urge all members of the public who are at risk to remain at home so as to limit exposure. All others are urged to observe social distancing and to wear a mask for all public interactions.

For more detail on Florida resident cases, visit the live DOH Dashboard.

To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from the Centers for Disease Control, visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, visit the travel advisory website.

For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.