TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A total of 45,603 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Florida from July 9 to July 15 – nearly double the amount reported over the previous week, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.
As delta variant cases surge and Florida has outright blocked local options for mask mandates and virus restrictions, the positivity rate for new cases rose by nearly 4% – going from 7.8% reported July 2 through July 8 to 11.5% from July 9 through July 15.
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that Florida has 20% of all new COVID-19 cases in the United States.
While the number of new cases rises week to week, the number of deaths has kept pace in terms of comparative growth, according to state data. The Florida Department of Health reported 32 Floridian deaths between July 2 and July 8. This week’s report shows 59 deaths.
Case numbers are increasing as vaccination rates continue to decline across all age groups. Public health officials in Tampa Bay continue asking for people to get vaccinated.
“By now we should have more people vaccinated and it’s very concerning that so many people have chosen to not get vaccinated,” DOH Hillsborough Director Dr. Douglas Holt said in a statement. “The vaccine is safe, effective and widely available. Most doctors have gotten vaccinated. We’ve encouraged our own families to get vaccinated. Your life or the life of someone you care about could be saved by getting vaccinated.”
Holt said only about 45 percent of the eligible population in Hillsborough County is fully vaccinated.
Over the past week, 152,087 Floridians completed their vaccine series in the state while 14,436 Floridians received their first vaccine dose. Still, according to state data, all of those shots amount to a 1% increase in Florida’s vaccinated population, growing from 58% to 59%.
The data from DOH does not include non-Florida residents, meaning people who have moved to Florida either from other states or other countries that have not yet filed residence changes do not contribute to the count, regardless of where they were infected or what hospital they may be receiving treatment in.
County by county, here’s how Tampa Bay is looking, with numbers based on cumulative data since March 1, 2020. This data is found in the Weekly Situation Report section of the DOH reports.
| County | 2021 Population | People Vaccinated | Cumulative Cases | Case Positivity Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citrus | 151,314 | 69,906 | 11,786 | 17.8% |
| Hardee | 27,585 | 8,278 | 3,515 | 23% |
| Hernando | 195,123 | 83,858 | 15,431 | 17.2% |
| Highlands | 105,105 | 49,048 | 9,000 | 17.8% |
| Hillsborough | 1,508,560 | 700,729 | 150,433 | 17.6% |
| Manatee | 405,480 | 204,528 | 40,602 | 15.7% |
| Pasco | 549,517 | 260,990 | 44,705 | 16.9% |
| Pinellas | 992,298 | 512,725 | 82,880 | 15.4% |
| Polk | 719,665 | 311,491 | 74,589 | 19.2% |
| Sarasota | 441,179 | 272,503 | 33,365 | 13.1% |