WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida has passed 50,000 coronavirus deaths, becoming the fourth state in the nation to reach the milestone as cases continue to decline including most recently dropping under five digits at 9,313, according to data from the Centers for Disease and Control published Thursday from the state.
Since the first two fatalities were announced on March 5, 2020, the Florida State Health Department has recorded 50,811 deaths among residents, including an increase over three days of 1,560 (520 daily) behind No. 1 California with 67,187, No. Texas with 59,980 and No. 3 New York with 54,717. Florida is the third most populous state in the nation behind California and Texas, and ahead of New York. It can take several days or even weeks to receive notification of fatalities, and it is not known whether there was a backlog of deaths being counted.
Over 559 days, that comes out to 91 deaths on average each date.
Florida ranks 12th in deaths per million at 2,366 contrasted with No. 1 Mississippi at 3,079 and No. 2 New Jersey at 3,056. The U.S. average is 2,080, which means appeoximately 1 in 500 people have died from the disease.
It has been about 1 1/2 months when Florida passed 40,000 deaths -- July 30 with 40,095. Other milestones were 30,000 on Feb. 7, 20,000 on Nov. 30, 10,000 on year ago Aug. 5, 5,000 on July 12 and the first 1,000 on April 20.
The most deaths occurred were 369 on Aug. 20. Until the latest surge, the record was 242 on Aug. 4.
Florida has experienced a surge, predominantly from the Delta variant, over the past 1 1/2 months. The state reached triple digits in one day -- 123 on July 27, which was the first time since 110 on Feb. 22.
On June 11, there were only 20 deaths on that day, which is one week after the state stopped reported daily coronavirus information. The state has continued to report data to the CDC. The state's weekly reports list cases by county but not deaths though the CDC this week has published those figures to list place of residence. In the past, place of death by county had been reported to the CDC.
The CDC is now only reflecting the date of occurrence for cases and deaths rather when reported to the Florida Department of Health. The CDC twice a week has been revising the cumulative totals as more data are reported.
The most recent deaths reported on Wednesday were five. The most number of deaths in the past 16 days: 318 on Aug. 30.
In the state report last Friday, deaths rose by a record 2,448 (350 daily), including four children under 16.
Cases have decreased dramatically from record 27,784 on Aug. 26. The seven-day average is 11,784 compared with a 21,688 on Aug. 21. Until the spike, the weekly daily average was as low was 1,477 June 18. The single-day low was 1,020 on June 13.
The highest number of cases last year: 20,946 on Dec. 31 and one day earlier 16,494.
Florida is third in the U.S. for most cases behind California with 4,387,926, including 8,262 most recently, and Texas with 3,883,678, including 19,223 reported Wednesday.
Florida has averaged 83,006 tests each day in the past week.
Hospitalizations, meanwhile, are dropping. The figure listed Thursday was 10,247, which was 17.53% of capacity, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A total of 253 hospitals reported with the total bed usage 82.35%. The record for coronavirus hospitalizations was 17,295 on Aug. 19 with 29.35% usage. Until recently, the record was 10,179 on July 23, 2020
Florida is second behind Texas with 13,594 (20.59%). On Dec. 23 there were a record 150,587 tests.
In the United States, a total of 95,491 have been hospitalized with coronavirus (12.51%) with the total bed usage at 78.89%.
Vaccination rates have been increasing. In Florida, 77.4% of adults and 75.6 of those eligible to receive shots (12 and under) have received at least one dose. For full dosing it is 65.7% of adults and 63.8% 12 and older.
The U.S. statistics are slightly lower: 76.1% of adults and 74.2% 12 and older with one dose, and for fully it is 65.4% for adults and 63.5% for 12 and older.
