By the Numbers

As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, there are 584,047 total cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Florida, an increase of 4,115 since FDOH’s last update Tuesday morning. 

More than 67,822 test results were reported to the Department of Health on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Of those reported tests, 7.08 percent tested positive. The daily percent positivity rate in daily reports among new cases has been under 8% four out of the last five days and under 10% since Aug. 8. 

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 overall percent positivity since the beginning of the pandemic in Florida residents is 13.54.

The death toll increased by 219 from yesterday’s update reported among Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dade, Duval, Escambia, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter and Suwannee 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 4,312,904 individuals have been tested: 3,722,192 have tested negative, 6,665 tests were inconclusive and 3,850 tests are pending results. Of those testing positive, 35,200 Florida residents have been hospitalized at some point during their illness according to the state. There have been 10,067 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 (16%), 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, 17,596 (+100) individuals have tested positive as of 11 a.m. Wednesday; 7,188 in Fort Myers, 4,032 in Cape Coral, 3,513 in Lehigh Acres, 1,132 in Bonita Springs, 649 in North Fort Myers, 402 in Estero, 108 in Alva, 77 on Fort Myers Beach, 41 in Sanibel, 37 in Bokeelia, 26 in St. James City, 19 in Tice, 14 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; 112 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 384 (+0) deaths in Lee County; 210 (+0) of those deaths were reported in residents or staff of long-term care facilities.

As of Wednesday, Lee Health had 141 COVID-19 patients isolated in system inpatient hospitals, including 14 new admissions on Tuesday. 

A total of 2,349 patients who had tested positive have been discharged since the beginning of the pandemic, including 12 yesterday. 

On Tuesday, Lee Health had a 14.1% 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 88 (+1)% of staffed operational bed capacity, with 11.7 (+0)% 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 Wednesday, 68 (-2)% of ventilators and 13 (-4)% of ICU rooms are available for use across Lee Health facilities.

As of Wednesday, there were 19 (+2) COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 27 (+2) 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.