As Walt Disney World and other Florida attractions prepare for re-opening in the coming weeks, the state reported another rise in coronavirus cases. Thursday morning, the Florida Department of Health reported 3,207 new cases and 43 new deaths.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, the toll in Florida has risen to 3,061, and 85,926 total cases. According to Thursday data from the state Agency for Health Care Administration, less than 25 percent of hospital adult intensive-care unit beds are available.
A projection model from scientists at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania warns Florida has "all of the markings of the next large epicenter of coronavirus transmission" and risks being the "worst it has ever been."
Florida was one of 10 states that saw a record number of new COVID-19 cases this week.
Testing in Florida has ramped up. So has the positive rate also has been trending up in the past week. The overall percent of positive tests stands at 5.7 percent as of Thursday, up from 5.6 percent the previous day and 5.5 percent the day before that. Florida reports having completed more than 1.5 million tests for COVID-19.
The mortality rate involving positive cases is 3.6 percent in the state compared with 5.4 percent in the United States and 5.4 percent worldwide.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday said the state is “not shutting down” and will push forward with reopening.
During that press conference, DeSantis attributed the spike to increased testing and expanded testing of "high risk" locations like long-term care facilities, construction sites, farms and other places.
This story was originally published on www.WTXL.com.
