1,007 Total Coronavirus Cases In Florida, 13 deaths

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The number of coronavirus cases in Florida climbed to 1,007 late Sunday afternoon and the death toll in the state rose to 13, according to state health officials.

The total includes 937 positive cases of Florida residents and 70 cases involving non-Florida residents. The total also includes a small number of Florida residents who tested positive in other states.

With 227 cases, Miami-Dade County has the most confirmed cases of any of Florida's 67 counties. Nearby Broward County, which has a much smaller population than Miami-Dade, has 217 cases. Don’t miss updates about precautions in Florida as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

Palm Beach County, which is just north of Broward County, has 72 cases. Those three South Florida counties, and particularly Broward and Miami-Dade counties, account for half of all Florida cases.

That's one reason the state partnered with Memorial Healthcare System in Broward County to open a large drive-thru testing facility at a public park in Pembroke Pines that processed 745 tests Friday and 701 tests on Saturday. The tests were performed by members of the Florida National Guard with assistance from Memorial staff members.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took the wraps off another large drive-thru testing facility Sunday outside Hard Rock Stadium near Miami.

He said he plans to offer as much testing as possible at locations throughout the state though most people who are being approved for tests are either first responders or people 65 and older with symptoms of the virus, including shortness of breath, fever and a cough.

The governor said another drive-thru site opened in Duval County and one was opening Wednesday in the parking lot of the Orange County Convention Center.

"For us it's just a matter of supply. It's not a matter of will," DeSantis said. "Florida is seeing more reported positive cases, but some of that is to be expected because Florida is testing a lot more people today than it was able to do initially."

CEO Carlos A. Migoya of the Miami-based Jackson Health System, one of the largest providers in Florida, told reporters Sunday that his hospitals have been acquiring more beds and trying to focus on identifying elderly patients with COVID-19 as early as possible.

"I know there's a lot of panic and hysteria out there," he said. "The faster we learn about them testing positive we can get to them quicker."

Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, had 58 cases as of Sunday while Pinellas County had 38 cases. Lee County had 26 cases while Manatee County had 13. Sarasota County had 17 cases. Polk County had 11 cases and Pasco County had 11.

Jackson Health System has seen a steady uptick of patients being screened for COVID-19 in the last week at its three adult emergency departments. With increased access to testing, the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Miami-Dade County is growing, and the results are fluid.

"Jackson administrators are in constant communication and meet multiple times a day, while nurse managers and leadership are constantly rounding and communicating in huddles with their staffs," the spokesperson told Patch. "In addition, daily communication is shared with all Jackson employees with any important updates. Jackson has a solid emergency plan in place, and we are refining it as needed as we learn more about the virus and receive updated protocols from the CDC."

Twenty-one Florida counties have yet to see their first case of COVID-19. These include Calhoun, Dixie, Franklin, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Holmes, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Okeechobee, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla and Washington.

"Most of the cases by far are from people who you've been in close contact with," DeSantis said. "If you look at the cases in places like Broward and Dade, you have a pretty significant percentage related to international travel and then another significant percentage of people who you've been in close contact with, known contacts who are carrying the virus."

While there's been more cases in Florida, the percentage of positive tests has actually declined, according to the governor.

"Even under criteria where you have to be symptomatic, the vast, vast majority of people are testing negative for this," DeSantis said.