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DeSantis points to hospitalization data as death toll mounts
Evan Axelbank reports
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - During a press conference Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis acknowledged Floridians are in pain.
"I think there is a lot of anxiety and fear out there," DeSantis said. "I think, folks, we are going to be able to get through it."
However, the number of Floridians not getting "through it" continues to rise. In the last seven days, the Sunshine State's average daily COVID-19 death toll is 114, according to the Kaiser Foundation. Only one month ago, that number was 33.
Today, the only state with a higher average is Texas, at 119.
Still, the numbers are little compared to New York's high of 700 in April. The state is now seeing just 10 per day, according to the Associated Press.
When it comes to the daily number of new cases, Florida is top in the country, with a seven-day average of 11,000 per day.
"That looks like it is going to be continuing for the foreseeable future, given the exposure we have been able to measure over the past six to 10 weeks," said Dr. Jay Wolfson, the University of South Florida's dean of health policy.
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But the governor focused on data he views as optimistic. A state-created chart shows emergency room visits by patients with COVID-like symptoms dropping from 15,000 two weeks ago to 10,000 last week.
He also said 15% of ICU beds in the state are still available.
"That is much better than seeing the escalation that we had seen," said DeSantis. "I think it was much better today than it was two weeks ago. I think it will continue to improve."
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The governor is also pointed to Pinellas County, saying the county's percentage of positive tests has been below 10% for a week.
Mayor Rick Kriseman, along with the governor, is targeting 5%.
"If we plateau where we are right now, we don't see it drop lower, at that point I am going to have to think about whether there are additional steps we can take to try and get that number back where it used to be," said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.