Florida to stop daily reporting of COVID-19 cases, deaths

Author: News Service Florida
Published:
FILE – In this Nov. 24, 2020, file photo, registered nurse Chrissie Burkhiser puts on personal protective equipment as she prepares to treat a COVID-19 patient in the emergency room at Scotland County Hospital in Memphis, Mo. U.S. hospitals slammed with COVID-19 patients are trying to lure nurses and doctors out of retirement and recruiting nursing students and new graduates who have yet to earn their licenses. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

The Florida Department of Health plans to cease the daily COVID-19 reports that have been used by the media and the public to track changes in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the state.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ press secretary Christina Pushaw told The News Service of Florida on Friday that there is no need to keep issuing the daily reports.

“COVID-19 cases have significantly decreased over the past year as we have a less than 5% positivity rate, and our state is returning to normal, with vaccines widely available throughout Florida,” Pushaw said in an email.

The state had already stopped producing its daily updates on COVID-19 infection rates among staff and residents at long-term care facilities. The daily reports, which listed the names of facilities with infections, have been replaced by less-detailed weekly reports.

While Florida is ceasing its daily updates, a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic remains in effect and is scheduled to expire on June 26. DeSantis has indicated that he does not plan to extend it any further.

It’s unclear when the DOH will cease putting out the daily virus numbers. The state normally release new COVID-19 data after 2 p.m. seven days a week but as of 3 p.m. Friday the state dashboard and reports had not updated.

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