Coronavirus Pasco County

The positivity rate for new cases was at its lowest level since the end of January.

Health officials say a new variant of the coronavirus is spreading so quickly in Florida that it will become the state’s most dominant strain by March.

Of the 141,056 coronavirus tests recorded Saturday, 8.66% were positive.

The state reported 9,535 new coronavirus cases in its Sunday report, along with 132 deaths.

In its Saturday report, the Florida Department of Health reported 12,311 daily coronavirus cases, but with a steep drop in positivity rate.

Previously, the highest death toll in a day for Florida was 276 on August 11, coming on the heels of a summer surge in cases that peaked in July.

While Hillsborough saw a spike in its death toll, several other counties in the greater Tampa Bay region didn't report any deaths. The state reported its lowest number of new positive tests since late December.

The most people ever have tested positive for the coronavirus statewide, as well as in the greater Tampa Bay region and three local counties, since Wednesday.

There were 7,391 new positive cases across the state, but with the highest positivity rate in nearly two weeks.

The state did not provide data on Christmas Day.

Pasco County is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases. One public health official says the reason is multi-faceted, but includes snowbirds bringing back infections from their home states, and conservative distrust of government and scientists.

Sunday's total ended a three-day stretch of more than 10,000 daily cases.