Jacksonville reports 9 more COVID-19 deaths; Florida approves 400,000 cases

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With nine additional deaths, a maximum of one day, reported in Friday data from the Florida Department of Health, Jacksonville has now eclipsed 120 coronavirus-related deaths, and nearly a quarter of those were reported in the past six days. . .

According to state data, Duval County has reported 18,781 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 538 hospitalizations and 122 virus-related deaths. Of those deaths, 29 were reported since Sunday.

Statewide, Florida reported an additional 136 deaths and 12,444 recently confirmed cases, bringing the state to 402,312 cases and 5,768 deaths of residents and visitors since the pandemic began. (The 136 deaths statewide did not occur in the past 24 hours. The state’s death data often has significant reporting delays, and some of the deaths may have occurred weeks ago.)

Florida has averaged over 10,000 additional cases each July. The state’s one-day record for new cases, reported on July 12, remains at 15,300.

The disturbing trend of rising deaths is similar in the 11 northeast Florida counties that News4Jax has been following during the pandemic.

Those counties (Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, and Union) have reported 251 deaths among them since the pandemic began. More than 22% of those (57) were reported in the last six days.

The area also peaked for one day on Friday with 17 deaths reported in our 11 counties.

A month ago, Florida averaged 33 deaths per day before daily totals began to rise and then rose dramatically in the past two weeks.

Due to the delay in reporting the state’s death data, these spikes in reported deaths are likely to coincide with the previous spike in cases that the state reported.

Duval County had 424 additional cases reported Thursday for a total of 18,781. His positive test rate on Thursday was 8.7%.

The nine deaths in Duval County ranged from 65 to 93 years. Columbia, which has had an outbreak of prison cases, reported three more deaths to bring its total to 10. Clay County added two more deaths: 69 years, an older woman and a 72-year-old man, to carry their total. to 47.

St. Johns (82-year-old woman), Bradford (78-year-old woman) and Putnam (76-year-old man) each reported one additional death.

Of those confirmed to have COVID-19 in the state, 23,225 patients have been hospitalized statewide since Florida began tracking data in March. That includes 581 new hospitalizations reported across the state since Thursday, a one-day record.

The state does not inform several patients that they have recovered.

Amid the surge in cases in Florida and Jacksonville, President Donald Trump announced Thursday night that he would suspend the Jacksonville portion of the Republican National Convention because he did not want to send the wrong message by hosting a large meeting.

“There is nothing more important than keeping the American people safe,” Trump said. “I want to thank the Jacksonville community and all the other political representatives. They were there for us 100%. “

Jacksonville had been given only a small chance to prepare after the RNC, which abruptly withdrew from its original Charlotte headquarters due to a dispute over coronavirus prevention efforts.

Many school districts are grappling with the challenge of finding ways to safely reopen this fall despite the steady increase in cases, and many are delaying their start dates to allow for more preparation.

Governor Ron DeSantis said during a speech Wednesday about the reopening of the school that all parents should have the option of physically sending their children back to schools in the fall or opting for distance education.

“The evidence that schools can safely open is overwhelming,” said DeSantis. “However, I also understand the apprehension that some parents may feel, and I believe in empowering them to choose. No parent should be required to send their child to classes in person if they do not want to. “

RELATED: Infectious disease expert rejects DeSantis’ COVID-19 claim about children

Richard Corcoran, the state’s education commissioner, issued an order that all schools reopen for face-to-face classes during the fall. The order also directs school districts to follow the advice of state and local health officials, as well as executive orders issued by DeSantis.

Florida is considered in the “red zone,” according to an unpublished document prepared for the White House Coronavirus Task Force that was obtained by the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit newsroom.

The 359-page document describes and suggests steps that states in the “red zone” should take, encouraging people to “wear a mask at all times.” He suggests that states limit social gatherings to 10 people or less and keep bars and gyms closed.

While the state regulator in charge of the companies said last Friday that the bars will not reopen in the state yet, DeSantis has refused to close the gyms again, saying people should have a chance to stay healthy.

Associated Press contributed to this report.