JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Monday, the state Department of Health reported 2,678 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total to 576,094. It was the lowest single-day increase in cases since June 17, News4Jax records show.
The drop follows Sunday’s decline which was the first day since June 23 that Florida reported a daily increase of fewer than 4,000 cases. (Note: The number of cases reported on Monday is typically lower than other days during the week)
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There were two deaths reported in Northeast Florida on Monday: a 71-year-old woman in Alachua County and a 68-year-old woman in St. Johns County.
Statewide, there were 87 additional COVID-19 related deaths reported. Still, the average number of deaths over the last seven days was slightly more than 180 deaths per day.
There have been a total of 9,674 deaths reported in Florida since the pandemic’s first recorded appearance in the state on March 1.
Hospitalizations generally held steady.
The lower numbers come a day before Florida voters cast ballots Tuesday in primaries across the state for congressional, legislative and other seats. More than 2.3 million people have opted to vote early, instead of braving lines and the risk of infection.
Election officials have urged voters to avoid the trip to precincts on Election Day by casting ballots early, including mailing in their completed ballots. Officials, however, have assured voters who decide to show up a the polls on Tuesday that doing so will be safe.
It remained to be seen how the pandemic will affect the election on Tuesday and in November, when Florida again plays a crucial role in the presidential race.
It also remained to be seen how lasting the dips in deaths and new cases will be — considering how unpredictable the outbreak has been since its start five months ago.
Still, the new cases announced Monday by the Florida Health Department continued a steady decline from last month, when the one-day total of newly reported cases surged to 15,300 cases on July 12.
Daily COVID-19 cases reported in Florida and Duval County
The statewide positivity rate for testing ticked up slightly to 8.25% on Monday.
The daily reports from state officials provide a snapshot of the virus, but there is sometimes a lag time in which deaths and new cases and deaths are reported to state officials.
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, breathing trouble, sore throat, muscle pain, and loss of taste or smell. Most people develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia.