COVID-19 in Escambia and Santa Rosa: 4 new deaths, 116 new cases

After several days with no COVID-19-related deaths, four deaths were reported in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties on Tuesday.

Two deaths were reported in Escambia County, bringing the total since the pandemic began to 200, including 12 non-residents. Two deaths were also reported in Santa Rosa County, bringing the total to 57.

Of all deaths in both counties, 99 are connected to long-term care centers, including 89 in Escambia County and 10 in Santa Rosa County.

Due to delays in reporting, figures from the state's daily report do not necessarily reflect when a person died or became infected with the virus, but rather when their case was verified by the state.

There also was a slight uptick in new positive cases in both counties, but Florida officials reported that increases were expected after Quest Diagnostics dropped accumulated data into the database. 

Escambia County increased 73 new positive cases, to reach a cumulative total of 11,256 cases since the start of the pandemic, while Santa Rosa County recorded another 43 cases for a total of 4,714.

The median age of positive coronavirus cases was 39 in Escambia County and 40 in Santa Rosa County as of Sunday.

To date, 13% of the 78,860 peopled tested in Escambia County and 14% of the 32,389 people tested in Santa Rosa County have been positive for COVID-19.

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties

The number of patients with COVID-19 being treated in Escambia County hospitals Monday was 117, the lowest rate recorded over the last two weeks. The highest rate in that same period was 171 on Aug. 16 and 17. Tuesday numbers have not yet been released.

Daily hospitalizations are reported from Ascension Sacred Heart, Baptist and West Florida hospitals directly to Escambia County and the city of Pensacola. 

The state reported Tuesday that Escambia County's cumulative hospitalizations — how many COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized since the start of the pandemic — was 763, an increase of seven from the previous day.

The number of currently hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Santa Rosa County is not being compiled. Data from the Florida Department of Health shows that as of Tuesday, a cumulative 274 people with COVID-19 have been hospitalized in Santa Rosa County since the pandemic began, up by six from the previous day.

Escambia County on Tuesday morning had 420 hospital beds, and Santa Rosa County had 215, according to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

Of the 141 adult ICU beds in Escambia County, 19 were available, and 14 of Santa Rosa County's 21 adult ICU beds were open.

Florida adds 7,569 cases and 187 deaths

Florida added 7,569 new COVID-19 cases and 187 new resident deaths Tuesday, according to data from the state Department of Health.

The reported death toll for Florida residents since the pandemic began is now at 11,374. A total of 4,344 Florida residents were verified as having died of COVID-19 complications in August.

In July, 3,338 Florida residents were verified as having died of COVID-19 complications.

The number of Florida residents hospitalized with COVID-19 is 38,495 since the pandemic began. The Department of Health notes the total figure is cumulative and does not reflect the number of COVID-19 patients currently in hospitals.

Breakdown cases in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties *

• Pensacola: 8,175 cases
• Century: 915 cases
• Cantonment: 783 cases
• Molino: 129 cases
• McDavid: 63 cases
• Walnut Hill: 16 cases
• Bellview: 11 cases
• Gonzalez: 7 cases
• Perdido Key: 6 cases
• Pensacola Beach: 12 cases
• Milton: 2,534 cases
• Gulf Breeze: 674 cases
• Navarre: 577 cases
• Pace: 359 cases
• Jay: 131 cases
• Bagdad: 9 cases
• Pensacola Naval Hospital: 1 case
• Non-Florida resident: 1,044 cases
• Missing: 408 cases

* The Florida Department of Health is releasing the locations where confirmed cases are located to provide a broader look at areas where the virus has spread. The locations are based on ZIP code.