Jacksonville reports highest one-day increase of COVID-19 cases since July

Jacksonville’s COVID-19 cases spiked Wednesday in data released by the Florida Department of Health. Duval County reported another 462 confirmed cases of coronavirus -- the highest number the county has reported since July 26 (465 cases).

For the two weeks prior to Wednesday’s case jump, Duval County had averaged about 172 cases a day.

Jacksonville has reported 37,494 coronavirus cases with 544 deaths and 1,310 hospitalizations since March. There are currently 175 patients in the hospital with COVID-19 in Duval County, according to a state database.

Statewide, Florida added 5,838 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wednesday’s report, bringing the state’s total to 858,012 cases since the pandemic began.

There are 3,056 people with the virus hospitalized in Florida, according to the state Agency for Health Care Administration. The state reported 243 new hospitalizations on Wednesday, bringing the state’s total to 51,115 patients admitted to a hospital since March in relation to COVID-19.

Florida vs. Duval County daily COVID-19 increases since June 1

Ten of the 52 deaths included in Wednesday’s report were in Northeast Florida: Seven in Duval County and three in Clay County. Among the Duval County deaths were a 44-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man.

The state’s total number of reported deaths was 17,512 -- that includes both residents and non-residents.

State health officials have always maintained that virus fatalities are often delayed in being reported to the FDOH, with some deaths not reported for a month or more.

Positivity rates in Florida and several area counties were back above 8% after averaging closer to 5% in October.