NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - According to data provided by the Florida Department of Health, the state has now reached the grim milestone of over 10,000 residents dying due to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he is considering moving South Florida forward into the next reopening phase.
As of 11 a.m., there are now 10,049 deaths reported in the state, an increase of 117 from Wednesday’s report.
There are 588,602 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, an increase of 4,555 from Wednesday’s update.
Of those cases, 149,162 confirmed cases are in Miami-Dade and 68,068 cases are in Broward.
The total number of cases in Palm Beach County has now reached 39,886, and 1,675 cases have been reported in Monroe County.
Health officials also reported 35,650 hospital admissions statewide.
The positivity rates in both Miami-Dade and Broward County are improving, as a lower percentage of positive results are coming back from the total amount of tests being performed.
Miami-Dade’s positivity rate dropped to 9.65% and Broward is reporting 7.28%.
But Dr. Mary Jo Trepka, an infectious disease expert at Florida International University, believes things could have been better had a slower reopening and an earlier mask mandate been practiced throughout South Florida.
“All those things would have helped bring down the numbers of cases and thus the number of deaths,” she said.
Trepka stressed that, while trends are becoming better, that does not mean the region is in the clear.
“We need to be very careful,” she said.
Trepka also pointed out the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the state is expected to rise.
“We don’t even know about all the deaths for July yet, even though we’re well into August,” she said.
There is, however, a silver lining: the number of daily deaths continues to drop.
DeSantis said that’s not the only glimmer of hope he sees.
“If you look at the hospital census, it continues to decline up and down the state in terms of COVID-positive patients,” he said.
Based on the trends he is seeing, DeSantis said, he is considering moving South Florida into phase two.
“I think the next steps for us in the State of Florida will be to work with our three southern Florida counties about moving them into phase two,” he said.
Trepka disagrees. She said the positivity rate should drop below 5% for at least a month.
Otherwise, she said, South Florida could see another wave of the illness.
“We simply are not in a situation right now where I think it’s safe to start reopening anything,” she said.
Health experts said the positivity rate should drop to around 3% and stay that way for several weeks before school districts even consider reopening campuses in South Florida.
Doctors said it is also crucial that children receive all of their vaccines, now more than ever.
“We want you to be healthy, and we prefer to be healthy as much as you can forever,” said Dr. Gloria Riefkohl, a pediatrician at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
Even if the governor was to give the green light for the counties to enter phase two, it remains up to the county leaders to decide if they want to fully move into phase two or do portioned phases of reopening.
Florida is now the fifth state in the nation to report over 10,000 coronavirus-related deaths.
On the same day, a new COVID-19 testing site opened in North Miami.
The site is located at Ronald L Book Athletic Stadium, 2555 NE 151st St., and will be open Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Testing is available for individuals 12 and older, with or without symptoms. Officials said minors must arrive with a parent or guardian.
Walk-ups are allowed at the site, but appointments are strongly encouraged.
Appointments can be made by clicking here.
For a full breakdown of the cases in Florida, click here.
Anyone with questions and concerns about the coronavirus can call the Florida Department of Health’s 24-hour hotline at 1-866-779-6121.
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