JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida saw an uptick in COVID-19 cases last week as it neared a total of 38,000 resident deaths from the virus according to a report released Friday by the state Department of Health.
The report showed that Florida had confirmed 2,337,613 cases as of Thursday, an increase of 15,684 cases from a week earlier. Increases in the three previous weeks ranged from 10,095 cases to 11,454 cases.
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The new report also showed that Florida had confirmed 37,985 resident deaths since the pandemic began.
Positively of COVID-19 test rose to 5.2% statewide last week -- the first time it had been above 5% in weeks. Several Northeast Florida counties had much higher positivity rates, with Duval, Clay, Nassau, Baker, Bradford and Union counties percentages in the double digits.
Jacksonville has not reported a positivity rate above 10% since January.
Baker County’s positivity rate of 16.4% was one of the highest in the state. Baker’s vaccination rate of 28% is tied with Union for the lowest of all Florida counties.
Just over 11 million Floridians age 12 and above have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination -- 58% of those eligible.
The vaccination rate in most Northeast Florida counties lag behind the state average, ranging from below 30% in Baker and Union to a high of 60% in St. Johns County -- the only one in our area above the state average.