Florida Just Reported Its Deadliest Week For Coronavirus

TOPLINE

Over the past week, the state of Florida reported over 1,200 new deaths from Covid-19, setting a sobering new high for one of the nation’s coronavirus epicenters, even as other statistics continue to show the state’s crisis improving.

KEY FACTS

SURPRISING FACT

Florida reported 3,779 new coronavirus cases Sunday. That number is higher than what most countries usually report in a day, but it’s actually the lowest daily case increase since June. Sunday also marks five weeks since Florida reported 15,300 new coronavirus cases in a single day—the highest number any state has reported so far in the pandemic.

TANGENT

Florida isn’t alone in reporting a new death high. Its week was actually surpassed by what Texas, which was another summer coronavirus hot spot, reported from Saturday, Aug. 8, to Saturday, Aug. 15. The Lone Star State topped 1,700 deaths over that week alone.

KEY BACKGROUND

Just because the state reported a new record for deaths in the past week doesn’t mean that 1,266 Floridians died of coronavirus over that period, since there’s also a lag between when a death happens and when it is reported to the state and then added to the database. According to the Orlando Sentinel, at least one of the deaths reported Sunday actually occurred as much as a month earlier. 

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW

It will take more time to determine whether the death peak has already happened in the state, and when that peak might have been. 

FURTHER READING

Florida Shatters National Record With Over 15,000 New Coronavirus Cases (Forbes)

Florida reports lowest daily coronavirus case increase in over a month, worst week for newly reported fatalities (Orlando Sentinel)

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