FL Sees Decline In ICU Patients; 24,753 Coronavirus Cases

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — The number of coronavirus cases in Florida jumped to 24,753 Friday night while the number of patients needing intensive care was among the lowest in a week.

Speaking at a new walk-up testing site in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said a total of 774 people throughout Florida were in intensive care as of Thursday night suffering from the new coronavirus.

"That's the lowest total number since April 9," DeSantis said. "I think what you are seeing is progress is being made. The hospitalizations have been relatively flat. Obviously to see less people in the ICU is a great thing."

Friday night's total represents an increase of 1,413 cases over the previous 24-hour period.

State health officials reported 726 deaths from the virus as of Friday night. An additional 58 people lost their lives over the previous 24-hour period.

Miami-Dade reported 12 new deaths Friday night. Broward County reported six new deaths. Manatee County reported nine new deaths. Sarasota County reported four more deaths. Palm Beach County reported three new deaths.

Charlotte County reported two more deaths as did Escambia County, Pinellas County, Orange County, St. Lucie County and Collier County.

Brevard County reported one new death Friday as did Lee County, Santa Rosa County, St. Johns County, Baker County, Bradford County, Duval County, Hillsborough County, Polk County, Seminole County and Leon County.

There were a total of 3,649 hospitalizations from the virus in Florida as of Friday night. The state had a 10.3 percent positive test rate out of 241,913 total tests.

Two walk-up testing sites in Broward County were opening at Mitchell Moore Park in Pompano Beach and the Urban League of Broward County in Fort Lauderdale. The new test sites will be operated by 60 Florida National Guard representatives, the Broward Sheriff's Office and the Florida Department of Health.

"It is unfortunate and a painful fact that this coronavirus is killing African Americans at a greater rate than any other group across the nation," Germaine Smith-Baugh, who heads the Urban League of Broward County, told reporters Friday. "This virus is no respecter of age, race, ethnicity, income or geography."

Each site can process 200 people per day. Call 954-412-7300 to make an appointment. Officials hope to attract under-served populations at the sites.

Some 60 percent of Florida's cases are concentrated in three South Florida counties, including Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach.

Miami-Dade reported 8,824 cases as of Friday night, more than any Florida County. Broward County, which includes Fort Lauderdale, had 3,688cases. Palm Beach County, which includes West Palm Beach, reported 2,088 cases.

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Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, reported 924 cases as of Friday. Orange County, which includes Orlando, reported 1,158 cases.

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In an attempt to provide as much information to our readers as possible, Patch is publishing a county-by-county breakdown of the coronavirus cases in Florida's 67 counties, along with the median age of patients, the number of hospital cases by county and the number of deaths.

Patch is updating this data twice each day as available from the Florida Department of Health. Here is the most recent data: