CORONAVIRUS

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: Florida sets new one-day record; 3 Panhandle counties record huge gains

Staff Writer
Northwest Florida Daily News

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Florida continued its rapid rise of coronavirus cases Saturday, announcing 11,458 new cases in one day, near New York’s national single-day high of 11,571 in mid-April.

In Northwest Florida, three counties recorded huge surges in new cases on Friday - Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Bay counties - with Santa Rosa leading the trio.

During the most recent two-week period, test results coming back statewide have dipped below 10 percent positive just once. The state’s May reopening, which health experts say has resulted in Florida’s rapid caseload increase, was based on achieving a positivity rate below 10 percent.

The state, with 190,052 cases, vaulted past New Jersey and along with Texas is behind only California and New York for total cases of the deadly respiratory disease.

However, New York, which has nearly 400,000 cases, underwent its deluge in April and in the past two weeks is averaging about 660 new cases a day. Over that same period, Florida is averaging more than 6,800 new cases and Texas is averaging 5,700.

Florida recorded 18 more deaths on Saturday, rising to 3,803 including nonresidents. Palm Beach County’s death toll rose by five to 555.

RELATED: nwfdailynews.com coronavirus topic page

No new deaths were reported in Northwest Florida on Friday.

State records show that hospitalizations rose by 244 overnight and have averaged 200 new hospitalizations a day over the past two weeks.

Below are the totals for each county in our coverage area, plus city-by-city totals for municipalities that show five or more positive cases.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Total cases: 815, +72

Deaths: 9, unchanged

Hospitalizations: 41, unchanged

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Milton: 341, +26

Gulf Breeze: 162, +18

Navarre: 133, +9

Pace: 89, +10

Jay: 19, +2

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OKALOOSA COUNTY

Total cases: 880, +60

Deaths: 8, unchanged

Hospitalizations: 65, unchanged

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Fort Walton Beach: 331, +16

Crestview: 155, +18

Destin: 141, +8

Niceville: 72, +2

Mary Esther: 50, +2

Shalimar: 53, +4

Baker: 19, +5

Eglin: 8, unchanged

Valparaiso: 6, +1

Laurel Hill: 6, +1

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WALTON COUNTY

Total cases: 305, +10

Deaths: 9, unchanged

Hospitalizations: 31, +2

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DeFuniak Springs: 123, +2

Santa Rosa Beach: 76, +6

Miramar Beach: 23, unchanged

Freeport: 22, unchanged

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HOLMES COUNTY

Total cases: 195, -1

Deaths: 0

Hospitalizations: 5, unchanged

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WASHINGTON COUNTY

Total cases: 120, +2

Deaths: 13, unchanged

Hospitalizations: 21, unchanged

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BAY COUNTY

Total cases: 684, +59

Deaths: 5, unchanged

Hospitalizations: 39, unchanged

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Panama City: 441, +48

Panama City Beach: 105, +3

Lynn Haven: 57, +5

Youngstown: 12, +1

Southport: 10, +1

Callaway: 7, unchanged

Fountain: 5, unchanged

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GULF COUNTY

Total cases: 34, unchanged

Deaths: 0

Hospitalizations: 3, unchanged

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Port St. Joe: 15, unchanged

Wewahitchka: 13, unchanged

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FRANKLIN COUNTY

Total cases: 11, unchanged

Deaths: 0

Hospitalizations: 0