WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's weekly first-time coronavirus infection positivity rate dropped to a record-low 3.0%, as cases are averaging under 2,000 daily for the first time since June, and deaths' rise is the lowest in nearly three months, according to data released by the state Health Department on Friday.
The cases rate was the lowest since the state went to weekly statistics on June 4. And it's below any daily rates, including 3.03% on May 25 and 3.15 on June 2. And the rate dropped 4 percentage points in one week from 3.4%, which was the lowest since 3.3% on June 18, and the four weeks in a row under the 5.0% state target rate.
Infections increased by 12,151` (1,736 daily), which is a 22.5% decline in one week, and 8% of a record 152,760 six weeks ago and the lowest since 10,105 June 18. Deaths rose by 867 (124 daily) one week after 944, a record 2,468 five weeks ago and lowest since 616 on Aug. 6, the last time under 100 a day.
Also, the 2,139 hospitalizations are one-eighth of record 17,295 on Aug. 19 and less than one week ago at 2,525. That current total is the lowest since mid-July. Last year the lowest was 2,031 on Oct. 17. More than four-fifths of adults (81%) have at least one vaccination shot, a rise of 0.5 percentage in one week, and those 12 and older was at 79.2%. The weekly first-time infection positivity rate is 0.4 percentage point down in a week and one-seventh of a record 20.5% nearly three months ago.
All South Florida counties are below the target 5%: Palm Beach County 3.0%, Martin 2.8%, St. Lucie 2.6%, Indian River 2.5%, Okeechobee 2.3%, , Broward 2.6% and Miami-Dade 2.0%, which has the most deaths in the state at 8,876.
The 30-39 age group has the most new cases at 2,073 one week after 2,360. The under 12 age groups has 1,754 new cases with a 3.8% first-time positivity rate, the highest of the groups. In the 12-19 age group the positivity rate is second highest at 3.5% with 1,106 new cases and only 56% fully vaccinated (the youngest age to get the shots). Conversely, the positivity rate is 2.5% for those 65 and older with 89% fully vaccinated.
In data released by the Florida Department of Health, the cumulative death toll is 59,670, the fourth state to pass the 50,000 milestone and ahead of New York in third place. Cases are 3,6747,277 with the state among only three topping the 3 million milestone.
And based upon a CDC cumulative death total of 59,495 from the previous day, the most recent daily increase is 175.
Deaths can take several days or even weeks to be reported to the state so the figures will fluctuate.
The state set a record for most deaths in one day: 414 on Aug. 27. Until the recent spike, the record was 242 on Aug. 4, 2020.
The record increase was 276 on Aug. 11 when the state was giving daily reports.
The highest seven-day moving average is 385 daily (2,695 weekly) on Sept. 1. Until the spike, the record was 227 (1,589 weekly) only Aug. 5, 2020.
Last year the highest weekly seven-day increase was 1,266 (181 daily) on Aug. 16, 2020. The first-time daily positivity rate last year was 9.04%. Earlier this year it was less than 5%.
Until Friday's report five weeks ago, deaths had surpassed 2,000 four weeks in a row: 2,340 after 2,468, 2,448, 2,345. Last week's increase was 944 and the previous week 1,252.
The state listed 56 deaths occurred in the past week with 106 the previous week and 433 six weeks ago. In newly reported deaths, children under 16 years old remained 29 since the pandemic, with 4 more among those 16-29 for a total of 412.
The new cases in the state over one week were 12,880, with11,797 June 11, which is different than 12,151 increase because of revisions.
The daily cases record is 27,759 reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 26.
On Sept. 1 the new cases were 21,552, the last time it was above 21,000.
Cases have been been below 10,000 since Sept. 22. That includes 2,020 most recently, one day after 2,292. Four days ago it dropped to 945, the lowest since 808 Sept. 27, 2020.
The CDC lists the seven-day moving average of 1,829, the lowest 1,792 June 26, with the record 2`1,737 on Aug. 16.
Cases weekly reached 109,816 (`15,688 daily) on Jan. 10 until the spike.
The CDC is now only reflecting the date of occurrence for cases and deaths rather than when reported to the Florida Department of Health. It can take several days or even weeks for the state to receive a report of a death. The CDC twice a week has been revising the previous cumulative totals as more data are reported.
The state has never listed increases on its since disbanded website and reports as media outlets, including WPTV, did the math each day.
On June 4, Florida switched to weekly reports from daily -- the first state in the nation reporting any data every seven days. In addition, the state's dashboard was removed, as well as current hospitalization data. Michigan and Ohio, which are in the top 10 for most deaths, reports fatalities only a few days per week.
According to data received by the CDC Thursday, U.S. deaths rose 1,091 and cases were up 73,705 with Florida accounting for 2.7%.
The first-time daily positivity rate was 7.8 15 weeks ago. The daily record was 23.38% on Dec. 28.
The state, which is the third most-populous with 16.5% of the population, is third in the nation, behind California with 71,519, with 111 in the past day reported, Texas with 69,846 including a daily increase of 178 and ahead of New York with 56,410, with a rise of 39.
Florida is third in cases behind California with 4,647,587, a rise of 7,098 and Texas with 4,217,243 including 5,466 Friday.
The overall first-time positivity rate is 21.0%, which is a drop of 0.1.
The state reports don't include nonresidents' deaths and cases.
The weekly reports don't list deaths for each county though it is now available by the CDC but include other data:
Palm Beach County: Cases: 225,002 residents (1062 new, 1,062 last week). First-time positivity average in past week: 3.0%.
St. Lucie County: Cases: 47,749 resident (128new, 217 last week). First-daily positivity in past week: 2.6%
Martin County: Cases: 20,133 residents (76 new, 111 last week). First-daily positivity in past week: 2.8%
Indian River County: Cases: 22,148 residents (61 new, 57 last week). First-daily positivity in past week: 2.5%
Okeechobee County: 7,384 residents (11 new, 21 last week). First-daily positivity in past week: 2.3%.
Broward County: Cases: 356,758 residents (1,271 new, 1,560 last week). First-daily positivity in past week: 2.6%
Miami-Dade County: 671,987 residents (2,215 new, 2,379 last week). First-daily positivity in past week: 2.0%.
In other data, the state reported there are 29 deaths under 16 (no change) and 490,991 cases (493,157 previous week). At the other extreme, for 65 and older there are 44,718 deaths (44,144 previous week), which is 75.0% of total and 471,087 cases (469,141 previous week), which is 12.9% of total.
The state's mortality rate (cases vs. deaths) was 1.6% (same as last week) including 9.5% for 65 and older but less than 1% in younger ages except 2.5% for 60-64. It is 1.6% in the United States and 2.0% worldwide.
In deaths per million, Florida is 2,770 (seven in nation), U.S. 2,313, world 641.9. Mississippi is first at 3,385, Alabama second at 3,158, New Jersey third at 3,148 (dropped from second). New York, which had been second for most of the pandemic behind New Jersey, is now fifth at 2,928.
Florida's deaths are 8.0% of the total in the U.S. total and 8.0% of the cases. The state comprises 6.6% of the U.S. population.
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, 2020, Florida's total has surged to 17.0% of the state's 21.48 million population, seventh in cases per million behind No. 1 North Dakota. In cases per 100,000 for seven days, Florida is 48th at 59.6 (last week 48th) with Alaska No. 1 at 628.5, Montana No. 2 at 522.2, No. 3 Wyoming at 473.6, according to the CDC. Hawaii is 49th at 62.7.
The CDC has directed states to generally count one case per person unless the virus was contracted again more than 90 days.
Florida is third in total tests at 41,759,699 with California No. 1 with 87,671,529. Some people have taken more than one test.
In one week, there were 428,856, which is 61,265 daily. Last week it was 466,818. On Dec. 23 there were a record 150,587 tests in one day.
Hospitalizations are 2,139 compared with 12,651 eight weeks ago, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health. Of the 261 hospitals reporting, 3.68% are occupied with COVID-19 patients and 78.84% (46,550) with all patients of the 59,091 total beds. The day before 262 hospitals reported data. Florida is seventh behind Texas with 4,442 hospitalized with coronaviurus, California second with 4,177, Pennsylvania third with 3,397, Ohio fourth with 2,826, New York fifth with 2,306 and Michigan sixth with 2,223. New York and Michigan passed Florida in the past week.
The U.S. coronavirus occupancy is 50,111 at 7.03% compared with 52,259 one week ago.
In state vaccination data from the CDC, 81.0% of Florida's population 18 and older has had at least one dose (13,967,801) and 70.2% fully vaccinated (12,113,728). President Joe Biden had set a nationwide goal of 70% vaccinated by July 4 with at least one dose by adults and the current figure is 79.7. Totally vaccinated is 69.7%.
Thirty-four states achieving the 70% standard are Hawaii (92.7%), Massachusetts (92.3%), Pennsylvania (91.9%), Connecticut (91.6%), Vermont (90.8%), Rhode Island (90.0%), New Jersey (88.9%), California (88.5%), Maine (88.4%), New Hampshire (87.7%), New York (87.4%), Maryland (86.3%), New Mexico (86.0%), Virginia (83.8%), Illinois (82.6%), Washington (82.6%), Delaware (81.5%), Florida (81.0%), Oregon (80.2%), Colorado (80.1), Minnesota (78.5), Illinois (77.7%), Utah (77.7%), North Carolina (76.9%), South Dakota (76.5%), Kansas (76.4%), Nevada (76.2%), Texas (75.4%), Kentucky (75.5%), Nebraska (75.1%), Wisconsin (74.8%), Arizona (73.3), Oklahoma (73.1%), Alaska (72.8), Iowa (72.5%). Kentucky (79.8%) was revised down from 75.5% .
The three worst percentages: West Virginia 58.2%, Wyoming 62.4%, Mississippi at 63.7%.
Also reaching the benchmark are Puerto Rico (91.9), Guam (91.6%), District of Columbia (86.3%).
For those 12 and older in Florida, 79.2% had at least one dose (14,805,653) and the complete series is 68.5% (12,802,654).
For the total population, the percentage is 69.0% (14,813,872, and the complete series is 59.26% (12,804,444).
