As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 863,619 total cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Florida, an increase of 5,607 since FDOH’s last update Wednesday afternoon.

More than 82,800 test results were reported to the Department of Health on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Of those reported tests, 7.35 percent tested positive. Three out the last six days, the positivity rate has topped 8%. Percent positivity rates in new cases have been over 5% 13 straight days.

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 72 (four occurring Wednesday) from the last update, none in Lee County.

According to FDOH’s Thursday report, “Today, data reported to the Agency for Health Care Administration shows that the number of COVID-19 positive patients that are currently hospitalized is down more than 70 percent since July.”

Of those testing positive, 51,272 Florida residents have been hospitalized at some point during their illness according to the state. There have been 17,585 deaths.

According to the Agency for Health Care Administration, at 1:15 p.m. Thursday, there were 3,058 hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19.

The age groups of Florida residents that have yielded the most positive test results are 25-34 years old (18%), followed by 35-44 (16%), 45-54 (16%) and 15-24 (16%).

The highest hospitalization rate is found in patients 65-74 (20%), 75-84 (19%) and 55-64 (17%) years old.

In Lee County, 25,477 individuals (+138; 5.45% percent positivity rate) have tested positive as of Thursday’s report. On Wednesday the state reported a 14-day high 249 new cases in the county on Wednesday. Case totals in Lee County include; 10,103 in Fort Myers (+45), 5,775 in Cape Coral (+33), 4,519 in Lehigh Acres (+19), 1,596 in Bonita Springs (+5), 931 in North Fort Myers (+6), 751 in Estero (+7), 140 in Alva (+0), 136 on Fort Myers Beach (+5), 103 on Matlacha (+0), 99 in South Fort Myers (+0), 70 in Sanibel (+0), 66 in Bokeelia (+0), 64 in Bonita Beach (+0), 39 at Florida Gulf Coast University (+0), 34 in Saint James City (+0), 20 at Babcock Ranch (+1), 18 in Tice (+0), 13 in Boca Grande (+0), 10 in Miromar Lakes (+0), four in Buckingham (+0), three on Captiva (+0), three in San Carlos Park (+0) and one in Immokalee (+0); 513 (+19) cases were not identified by community.

Positive COVID-19 cases in the county have ranged from infants to a 103-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 358 (+0) deaths in Lee County; 261 (+0) of those deaths were reported in residents or staff of long-term care facilities.

As of Thursday afternoon, Lee Health had 92 COVID-19 patients isolated in system inpatient hospitals, including 12 new admissions and 19 discharges since Wednesday.

A total of 3,113 patients who had tested positive have been discharged since the beginning of the pandemic.

On Wednesday, Lee Health had a 19.8% 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.

Census as of Thursday afternoon was at 93 (-2)% of staffed operational bed capacity, with 7 (-.2)% 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, 78 (+2)% of ventilators and 17 (+0)% of ICU rooms are available for use across Lee Health facilities.

As of Thursday, there were five (-1) COVID-19 patients on ventilators and 13 (+0) 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.

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj