Florida reports 20,133 new COVID-19 cases, 84 deaths, 12,516 hospitalizations Thursday

TAMPA, Fla. - As cases of the novel coronavirus increase daily in Florida, state agencies and independent organizations have again started reporting daily case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths in an effort to inform the public on the risk of catching the disease and becoming seriously ill. 

On Thursday, the Florida Hospital Association says the state reported there were 20,133 cases of COVID-19 detected Wednesday, August 4 and 84 additional deaths. To date, 39,403 people have died in Florida from the virus since the pandemic started in early 2020.

FHA says 12,516 patients are hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state as of Thursday afternoon.

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Florida has been hit hard in recent weeks by a surge caused by the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. The variant has particularly posed a threat to people who are unvaccinated.

A Florida Hospital Association poll of hospitals indicated 60% expect to have staffing shortages in the next week. Additionally, 23% reported that they will have to expand their patient care areas in the next week into parts of their facilities not currently used for care.

Hospitals across the state have been forced to cancel non-emergency surgical procedures, and some facilities have limited visitation as the numbers of people hospitalized with COVID-19 have increased.

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The state of Florida stopped reporting daily COVID-19 statistics in June at the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Florida Department of Health now issues updates once a week, on Fridays. The FHA and CDC continue to publish data on a daily basis, however.

There remains no source of recovered COVID-19 patient data, or reliable statewide information on breakthrough cases.

Editor's note: The number of new cases and deaths reported each day does not necessarily reflect the day that the case was confirmed. Stats for today and previous days will likely change in the future as the state reviews more cases and updates retroactive data.

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