SARASOTA, Fla. — Tampa Bay is among Florida's hardest-hit areas for the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis visited a testing site in Sarasota, joined by Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz and the head of training and operations for the Florida National Guard.
There are 415 confirmed coronavirus cases in Sarasota County, according to the Florida Department of Health. Forty-seven people have died.
As of April 28, 4,346 people in the county were tested. That's roughly one percent of the county's population.
But, DeSantis said Florida has made a lot of progress there. The testing site at University Town Center in Sarasota is the state's twelfth drive-through center, and according to the governor, most drive-through testing sites have more capacity than demand.
He also said professionals have also performed more than 10,000 walk-up tests.
And, the results of those tests are painting a cautiously optimistic picture.
DeSantis said Florida has not seen a "positive" rate above the low six percent range in the past two weeks. Other states are seeing positive rates closer to 14 percent.
That means a relatively low number of Floridians tested for COVID-19 have actually tested positive.
According to the governor, a rapid increase in the number of available tests is helping a lot. DeSantis said most drive-through testing sites have more capacity than demand.
The governor said certain sad facts about the pandemic remain true, including who is most at risk.
He said people over 85 years old account for only five percent of the total cases but those cases have resulted in 30 percent of Florida's coronavirus deaths.
RELATED: COVID-19 testing, where are we now?
What other people are reading right now:
- Don’t worry about Giant Asian Hornets coming to Florida. It could take years
- Two Florida panthers found dead just days apart
- DeSantis orders investigation into unemployment system following push from Florida's agriculture commissioner
- Pinellas County offering FREE coronavirus tests
- Coronavirus in context: Florida COVID-19 cases explained in 5 charts
- 5-year-old driving stolen car pulled over on his way to 'buy a Lamborghini'
FREE 10NEWS APP:
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter