4/18/2020

Florida Department of Health Updates New COVID-19 Cases, Announces Eight Deaths Related to COVID-19, Evening Update 04/18/20

~24,797 positive cases in Florida residents and 695 positive cases in non-Florida residents~ 

To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, the Florida Department of Health has launched a COVID-19 dashboard that is updated twice daily. Today, Governor Ron DeSantis encouraged the Florida Department of Health to release the names of long-term care facilities where a resident or staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. There are currently 303 long-term care facilities with positive cases of COVID-19. The Florida Department of Health has published the list here. 

The twice daily COVID-19 report now includes information by county about deaths related to staff or residents in long-term care facilities. Of the 1,694 cases of residents or staff in long-term care facilities, 169 have died. 

Today, as of 6 p.m., there are 25,492 total** Florida cases.

While Florida’s testing has increased over the past week, the percent of those testing positive for COVID-19 overall is 10 percent. Of the 14,191 tests performed on April 17, there were 1,419 positive results, or 10 percent.

Eight people have died who tested positive for COVID-19 Escambia, Lake, Manatee, Sarasota, St. Lucie and Volusia counties.

New Florida cases include:

• 223 additional positive COVID-19 cases (220 Florida residents and 3 non-Florida residents) reported to the Florida Department of Health.
• There are currently 24,797 positive cases in Florida residents and 695 positive cases in non-Florida residents.

Florida recently partnered with private laboratories around the state to expand COVID-19 laboratory testing capacity. This partnership will increase the number of tests conducted each day and ensure Floridians receive the critical health information they need in a timely manner.

Expansion to private laboratories changes the COVID-19 testing landscape in Florida. Private laboratories are running tests as they receive swab samples from practitioners. Testing and reporting times vary among commercial and DOH laboratories. Demographic information may be updated during investigations. These twice daily reports reflect the state’s efforts to accurately and transparently share information. 

More information on a case-by-case basis can also be found here.

For more detail on Florida resident cases, please visit the live DOH Dashboard here. 

* Florida residents that are diagnosed with COVID-19 and isolated out of state are not reflected on the Florida map.

**Total cases overview includes positive cases in Florida residents and non-Florida residents tested in Florida.

More Information on COVID-19

To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), please visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the travel advisory website.

For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.