WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — South Florida counties' coronavirus deaths rose by 502 in one week compared with 528 seven days earlier though Palm Beach County went up as fatalities are following the trend of lower cases, hospitalizations and positivity rates with the latter all under 17.99%, according to data posted Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Also Tuesday, the CDC reported 6,018 cases compared with 19,236 seven days ago and the record 76,639 Jan. 8. One day earlier 4,200 infections were reported, the least since 3,392 posted Dec. 14 before the omicron variant became the dominant strain. The total residents' cases: 5,757,122.
Fatalities are 67,911 residents with a four-day increase of 588 and weekly of 1,447 vs. 1,198 the week before in updated data Monday bythe CDC.
Florida is third behind California and Texas in deaths and cases.
The seven South Florida counties' deaths rise had subsided after gains. It was 444 two weeks ago, 308 week earlier and 203 before that. But Palm Beach County increased to 227 from 113. In all the county has 4,741 deaths, the third most in the state behind Miami-Dade at 10,153 and Broward at 5,647. Okeechobee reported no charge for four weeks in a row.
Broward County also declined to 88 from 113.
In addition the only counties in the region reporting more cases were Broward from 7,794 to 10,276 and Miami-Dade from 16,208 to 24,188. Palm Beach County had similar numbers in both weeks: 5,617 after 5,758.
Though South Florida's data declined, they are still considered "high" transmission and several times above the minimum for cases per 100,000 of 100 or more and positivity rate of 10% or more in the "high" category. But the cases per 100,000 have dropped below 600 in all of them. Every county is listed in the "high category."
Of the South Florida counties, the positivity rates went down everywhere. Palm Beach County decreased to 11.77% from 15.92%. Okeechobee is the highest at 17.99% one week after 15.59%.
The Florida Health Department considers 5% the target rate and the state is listed as more than 25%. In the state report released Friday, the percentage was 14.5% one week after 18.0% and six weeks after a record 31.2%. Ten weeks ago, it was 2.4%, the lowest since the state went to weekly reports on June 4.
Hospitalizations also have decreased in every county. Palm Beach County dropped from 227 from 314, Broward is 297 after 462 and Miami-Dade 464 after 644.
In data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday, Florida's hospitalizations are at 5,336 with COVID-19 (9.73% capacity), which is the least since 5,215 (9.2%) Jan. 2. One week ago it was 7,420 (13.39%).
A total of 234 hospitals reported compared with 255 the day before when the total was 5,502 (9.71%). They reached 11,839 (21.29%) Jan. 19, which was most since 12,651 Sept. 11. The record is 17,295 (29.35%) on Aug. 29. Total beds in use are 44,485 (79.75%) compared with one week ago 45,689 (81.09%).
The state, which reported its first two deaths on March 6, 2020, is in third place for deaths behind California with 82,142, adding 116 Tuesday, and Texas with 81,258, gaining 228 in a day. New York is fourth with 66,646, adding 119 in one day.
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, 2020, Florida's infections of residents have climbed past 5.7 million, the third state to pass the 5 million milestone 31 days ago. It took 131 days to pass 4 million on Dec. 28, 145 days to pass 3 million on Aug. 19, 106 days to pass 2 million on March 27, 276 days to pass 1 million on Dec. 2, 2020.
Florida is behind California with 8,259,026, including the one-day U.S. record 143,380 Jan. 11 and a U.S.-high 14,697 posted Tuesday with Texas 6,475,736 and a mark of 74,491 Jan. 13 with 10,955 most recently. New York is fourth with 4,869,303, including a record 90,132 Jan. 8 but only 2,317 Tuesday.
Florida has surpassed 70,000 cases four times with the last one five weeks ago.
Before the omicron variant emerged, the record was 27,664 amid the delta strain last summer.
Florida's seven-day moving average is 8,169, lowest since 7,080 Dec. 15. The record was 65,300 Jan. 11. On Nov. 27 the average was 1,224.
Florida 57,186 cases in the past week are third behind California's 160,468 and Texas' 81,202. New York is seventh with 32,029 including 11,131 in the city and 20,898 elsewhere. North Carolina is now fourth with 43,410, Kentucky fifth with 34,044 and Tennessee fifth at 33,499.
Twice a week the CDC revises new daily cases and deaths in data provided by the state. On other days deaths are only added of ones that occurred the previous day.
In the state report Friday, fatalities' rise decreased in one week to1,293 from 1,324, the most since 1,368 Oct. 8, but far below the record of 2,448 during the delta surge on Sept. 10, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.
In the U.S., hospitalizations declined to 77,966 (11.11%) with the record 160,113 Jan. 20. Until the spike record was 142,315 on Jan. 14 last year. The high during the delta surge was 103,896 Sept. 1.
Florida is third in U.S. in covid hospitalizations with California first with 8,499 (13.57%), Texas second with 8,003 (13.23%), New York fourth with 4,105 (9.33%%),
Florida reported 77,780 tests on Feb. 7, the most recent available day, with the record 276,040 Jan. 3.
Here is the breakdown of South Florida counties in the past week and posted Tuesday:
Palm Beach: cases 5,617 (5,758 last week), cases per 100,000 375.27 (384.70 last week), positivity 11.77% (15.92% last week), deaths total 4,741, 227 increase (113 last week), new hospitalizations 227 (314 last week).
Martin: cases 503 (582 last week), cases per 100,000 312.42 (361.49 last week), positivity 14.04% (18.47% last week), deaths total 580, 14 increase (23 last week), new hospitalizations 86 (107 last week).
St. Lucie: cases 1,215 (1,612 last week), cases per 100,000 370.09 (491,02 last week), positivity 17.03% (22.61% last week), death total 1,107, 0 increase (34 last week), new hospitalizations 69 (114 last week).
Indian River: cases 662 (755 last week), cases per 100,000 413.95 (472.10 last week), positivity 17.99% (21.2% last week), deaths total 616, 13 increase (11 last week), new hospitalizations 12 (29 last week).
Okeechobee: cases 136 cases (207 last week), cases per 100,000 322.52 (490.89 last week), positivity 15.59% (21.82% last week), deaths total 164, 0 increase (0 last week), new hospitalizations 12 (31 last week).
Broward: cases 10,276 (7,794 last week), cases per 100,000 526.22 (399.12 last week), positivity 10.6% (14.3% last week), deaths 5,467 total, 88 increase (113 last week), new hospitalizations 297 (462 last week).
Miami-Dade: cases 24,188 (16,208 last week), cases per 100,000 890.27 (596.55 last week), positivity 9.77% (114.18% last week), deaths total 10,153, 160 increase (234 last week), new hospitalizations 464 (644 last week).
During the summer, Palm Beach County School District wanted two weeks of moderate transmission to end its mask mandate for students, which is one category below severe. The district achieved that in mid-November.
The state has banned mask mandates for students.
Moderate is 10 to 49.99 cases per 100,000 in the last seven days and 5-7.99% positivity rate. Severe is 50-99.99 per 100,000 and positivity 8-9.99%.
