WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's new coronavirus cases rose to 5,607, which is 231 less than the day before, as deaths increased by 72, compared with 52 one day ago. Also, the state's first-time coronavirus daily positivity rate decreased from 7.8 percent to 7.35 and Palm Beach County dropped more significantly from 8.35 percent to 7.24, the Florida Health Department announced Thursday afternoon.
Florida first-time daily infection rate of tests reported by labs Wednesday was the second day in a row it was under 8 percent. The rate two days ago of 8.31 was highest since 9.65 on Aug. 12. The two-week low was 5.79 on Oct. 31.
Palm Beach County's percentage rate has been less than 8 percent for 11 of the 14 past days, including a low of 4.61 percent on Nov. 5. Two days ago the rate of 8.58 was the highest since 8.81 on Aug. 10, not including a date dump when it was 8.68 two weeks ago. The rate was 1.92 on Oct. 11, which was the smallest since 1.5 percent on May 19.
The state's total daily positivity rate has been declining for three days in a row. The most recent rate decreased to 8.55 percent on 82,868 tests one day after 9.14 on 79,632 tests and three days after 9.99, which was adjusted from 10.0 and the last time it was 10 percent or more was 10.33 on Aug. 31. The two-week low was 5.79 on Oct. 31. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27 and the record test total was 142,964 July 11.
Cases have been trending up in the state.
One day ago the increase was 5,838.
Three days ago it was 3,924 after cases had exceeded 4,000 for 12 of the past 13 days. Sunday's increase of 6,820 was the most since 8,109 on Aug. 12. One Thursdays ago there were 6,257 cases, which at the time was the highest since 6,352 on Aug. 15, not including 7,569 Sept. 1 because of a data dump.
Before Monday, the previous time they were under 4,000 was Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2,331 and the lowest since 2,144 on Oct. 21.
Despite a surge in cases, deaths have been trending down in Florida with 22 days since it was in triple digits: 105 on Oct. 21. They previously were the last highest 141 on Thursday, Oct. 15. The record was 276 deaths on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Wednesday's deaths rose by 52 and last Thursday's increase was 39.
Palm Beach County increased by 5 to 1,619 deaths, which is second to Miami-Dade and ahead of Broward after an increase of 2 Wednesday.
St. Lucie rose by 2 to 345 and remaining the same were Martin at 170 and Indian River at 126. Okeechobee stayed at 43 with its first two fatalities on July 25.
Broward rose by 6 and Miami-Dade by 8.
With a net increase of 21 deaths in South Florida of the 72 state total, there are 7,574, which is 43.6 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
The number of deaths over one week is 411, an average of 59, compared with 313 the previous week.
In one week cases have risen by 36,239 for an average of 5,177 at 4.4 percent. The previous week the increase was 32,756 with an average of 4,679. The average since the first case, which was 256 days ago, is 3,374 per day.
Florida's total of 863,619 cases is 8.2 percent of the total infections in the U.S., which passed 10 million Monday, though the state only comprises 6.5 percent of the population.
On Monday, Sept. 29, the 738 cases were fewest since June 2 when there were 617 additional infections. Then, they then increased to 3,266 on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Although infections in Florida are trending upward like in most other states in the nation, new cases are exponentially lower than its U.S. daily high of 15,300 in July.
Palm Beach County's daily cases increased by 398 one day after 364. On Sept. 28, the rise was 27.
Cases passed 800,000 on Oct. 31, 700,000 on Sept. 27, after going above 600,000 Aug. 23, 500,000 on Aug. 5, 400,000 on July 24, 300,000 on July 15, 200,000 on July 5, 100,000 on June 22.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, which is 251 days, the death toll has reached 17,372 for an average of 69 per day. Florida's total including nonresidents is 17,585, which increased by 1 to 213
It took 19 days for the toll to pass from 16,000 to 17,100 on Friday. Deaths passed 16,000 residents, 16,021 on Oct. 19, which is 19 days ago. It took 12 days for Florida's death toll to go from the 15,000 milestone to 16,000, the same to surpass that figure Oct. 7, but nine days to surpass 14,000 and eight to go past 12,000. It was 49 days for Florida's death toll of residents to reach the first 1,000 yet it was only 40 days to more than double. On July 20, there were 5,075 deaths.
State and county increases represent fatalities received by the state Wednesday and not the number of deaths that occurred then. The day someone dies and when it is received by the state can lag for several days. The most deaths the past month: 55 on Oct. 17.
The state report Thursday identified 44 deaths with 28 previously reported cases deleted as a fatality for a net increase of 72.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 157 compared with 243 the day before. The state reported Thursday there are currently 3,058 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which was 4 more in one day.
Deaths
Since June 16, Florida has climbed seven spots from 11th place in the nation to fourth. And the state is 13th in deaths per million.
Texas is in second place with a U.S.-high 143 additional deaths reported Thursday after a state-record 324 on Aug. 11, for a total of 19,147. California reported 38 for third place with 18,108. New Jersey, which had been second throughout the pandemic, is in fifth place with 16,495, adding 19 fatalities.
Deaths have had upward and lower trends since the pandemic in Florida. A few months ago they were averaging more than 1,200 a week with one-week figures earlier in the mid 200s.
Palm Beach County increased by 13 deaths over seven days for 0.8 percent with an average of 46 per week since the first death. The U.S. figure is 2.3 percent with the world at 4.8 percent.
Miami-Dade rose to 3,701 with 31 more in seven days and 106 average since the first death. Broward is at 1,570 with the increase of 28 in a week and average of 45 since the first fatality. St. Lucie has gone up by 7 deaths compared with Martin by 2, Indian River none and Okeechobee 1.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 19 states, including Oklahoma's 1,481 with 11 reported Thursday. Kentucky's toll of 1,622 passed the county with 18 reported.
Hillsborough is fourth place with an increase of 4 to 855 as Pinellas increased by 11 to 849 in fifth place, Polk rose by 1 to 644 in sixth, Orange decreased by 1 to 600 in seventh and Lee remained at 538 in eighth.
The state report Thursday identified 2 deaths in Palm Beach County though the increase was 5 with 2 women (85, 96). St. Lucie identified 3 deaths with 2 men (72,74) and a 74-year-old woman though the increase was 2.
Cases
Since the first two cases were announced eight months ago on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 4.0 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 863,619, third in the nation and 15th in cases per million.
Texas is in first place with 993,841, adding 5,756 Thursday, according to the state website. Hopkins lists the total cases at 1,023,966. California is at 991,609 with 6,927 more. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 545,762 with an increase of 4,797.
Twenty-seven states reported at least 2,000 cases, including No. 5 Illinois with a U.S.-high and state record for the third day in a row at 12,702. Eight others set state records, mainly in the Midwest: No. 9 Wisconsin with 7,497, No. 13 Michigan with 7,311, No. 18 Minnesota with 7,325, No. 16 Indian with 6,591, No. 14 Pennsylvania with 6,023, No. 25 Colorado 5,197, No. 26 Utah with 3,919 and No. 37 South Dakota with 2,020. Other states with high numbers were No. 10 Ohio with 5,692, No. 23 Iowa with 4,395, No. 15 Missouri with 4,327, No. 8 Tennessee with 3,344. Some states hadn't reported data yet.
Miami-Dade's cases were 1,205 compared with 618 the day before and Broward's increase was 509 vs. 444. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day was Martin 23 vs. 18, St. Lucie 59 vs. 39, Indian River 51 vs. 47 and Okeechobee 14 vs. 10.
Testing
The state is no longer listing a running total of Floridians tested or total tests. Worldometers.info lists Florida with 10,714,303 total tests behind No. 1 California, No. 2 New York, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Illinois.
In Palm Beach County, the last time the first-time rate has been above 10.0 percent was 10.2 percent on Aug. 4.
Miami-Dade's rate rose to a two-week high of 9.25 percent one day after 5.70 a two-week low of 5.58 on Oct. 29. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was 7.47 percent one day after 7.4, a two-week high of 8.16 five days ago and a two-week low of 4.32 Oct. 30.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie's rate increased significant to 7.18 percent one day after 4.74, a two-week high of 9.11 three days ago and a 14-day low of 3.04 four days ago. Martin's rate was 5.85 percent one day after 5.87, a two-week low of 2.49 six days ago and a two-week high of 6.32 on Nov. 3. Indian River's rate was 7.05 percent one day after 8.62, a two-week high of 10.0 three days ago and a two-week low of 3.71 on Oct. 30. Okeechobee's rate was 8.54 percent on 150 negative tests one day after 8.55 percent on 107 negative tests, a two-week high of 19.72 on 57 negative tests four days ago and zero percent on 32 negative tests Nov. 1.
Mortality rate
The mortality rate compares positive cases against deaths.
The state's rate was 2.0 percent for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 2.3 percent in the United States and 2.4 percent worldwide, which neared 1,299,000 deaths and passed 53.0 million cases Thursday, according to Worldometers.info.
Palm Beach County's rate is 2.9 percent compared with Broward at 1.7 percent and Miami-Dade with 1.9 percent. With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 3.6 percent in St. Lucie, 3.0 in Martin, 2.9 percent in Indian River (-0.1) and Okeechobee 2.3 percent (-0.1)
Florida has 809 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 749 per million. New York, which represents 14.0 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,744 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 166.6 per million.
Age breakdown
Five deaths are among youths 14 and under, a 6-year-old from Hillsborough, a 9-year-year old from Putnam, two 11-year-olds, a boy in Miami-Dade and a girl in Broward, as well as a 12-year-girl from Duval.
Four other juveniles are among the 32 deaths in the 15-24 class, including a 16-year-old girl in Miami-Dade, a 16-year-old girl in Lee, a 17-year-old boy in Pasco and a 17-year-old boy in Manatee. This class didn't change.
A total of 101 people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with an increase of 1.
A total of 5,524 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 18 in one day.
Ninety-three percent of the fatalities are 55 and older and 61 percent are 75 and older. A smaller percentage of older people have tested positive – 27 percent age 55 and older and 6 percent 75 and older.
At the other end of the age spectrum, there are 14,319 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 86, and 334 were hospitalized, which didn't change. From ages 5-14, there are 38670, an increase of 330, with 310 in the hospital at one time, which went up by 1.
From the infant to 54 age group, there are 614,631 of the 851,825 residents' cases. In that group, 1,151 have died, with an increase of 4, for a 0.19 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 725,168 cases. A total of 3,066 have died, with 11 more, for a 0.42 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 10,498 with an increase of 92; Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, increased by 30 to 9,057 followed by Boca Raton at 8,685 up from 8,619, Boynton Beach went to 5,026 from 4,992 and Delray Beach at 3,906 vs. 3,853. A total of 1,854 in the county not designated by a city. In addition, the list of cities includes separate listings of misspellings and miscoded counties.
Port St. Lucie leads the Treasure Coast with 5,742, an increase of 34, followed by Fort Pierce at 3,217, up 15, and Stuart with 2,595, which rose by 5.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, remained at 450 with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 51,272 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 50,077 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 4,307 in Palm Beach County, with 11 more compared with 18 the day before. Martin rose by 4 to 435, St. Lucie by 8 to 829, Indian River by 5 at 383 and Okeechobee by 1 to 199.
Long-term care
Forty percent of the deaths, 6,954 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 732 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 854 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 25 and Palm Beach County rose by 1.
Nation
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 242,622, a rise of a world-high 1,282 Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins. Worldometers.info has tabulated 248,585 deaths with an increase of 1,190. And the Covid Project has recorded 234,328 with an increase of 1,104.
Cases rose to 10,546,706, a rise of a record 146,479, surpassing the mark of 143,241 Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins. COVID Tracking Project lists the case increase as a record 150,526 one day after the former mark of 144,270. Worldometers.info has it at as a 161,541, beating the past mark of record 144,391 Wednesday.
Last Thursday in the U.S., there were 1,173 more deaths and 125,700 cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 7,495 at 3.2 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation at 33,741 with Johns Hopkins reporting 25 more after a high of 799 in April. Hopkins lists confirmed and probable deaths, with the latter not a positive case.
Among other states in the top 10 for deaths: No. 6 Illinois 48, No. 7 Massachusetts 20, No. 8 Pennsylvania 57, No. 9 Georgia 75 and No. 10 Michigan 49.
Also, No. 11 Arizona reported 12 deaths, No. 25 Wisconsin 58 and No. 14 Indiana 51. Washington, the original epicenter in the U.S., dropped behind Wisconsin into 26th and added 26 more deaths.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 12.3 percent of 9,669 deaths Thursday one day after a record 10,156 and 19.2 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
The one week world death increase was 58,929 at 4.8 percent.
Last Thursday's death increase was 8,854.
Cases increased a record 643,043 surpassing the mark of 621,393 Friday and passing 500,00 for the first time Oct. 28 and 400,000 for the first time on Oct. 15.
Brazil, which is second behind the United States for deaths, reported 926 deaths, which is the most since 1,090 on Sept. 15, to rise to 164,332. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 34,640 cases and is at 5,7483,647 in third place.
India reported 47,905 new cases compared with a world-record 97,894 in September for second-place behind the U.S., with 8,683,917. Also, India recorded 550 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 128,12`1 and in third place.
Mexico announced 626 more deaths late Thursday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 97,056 in fourth place.
In Europe, coronavirus is surging at record cases levels and deaths that are the highest since the spring with nations instituting lockdowns. The continent reported 4,357 deaths and 286,810 cases.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom reported 563 deaths, as well as a record 33,470. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 deaths in one day, reported 636, the highest since 638 on April 6, and 37,978 cases four days after a record 39,811. No. 7 France announced 425 deaths two days after 857 and compared with a record of 1,437 in April, as well as 33,172 cases five days after a record 86,852. No. 8 Spain reported 356 deaths and 19,511 cases, behind a record 22,516 Friday.
No. 9 Iran reported 457 deaths after a record 462 the day before and 11,517 cases one day after record 11,780. No. 10 Peru added 36 deaths.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 1,858,568, including 21,608 three days after a record 21,798. The nation gained a record 439 deaths in 13th.
No. 22 Canada reported 83 deaths for a total of 10,768 and a record 5,516 cases.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" with no lockdown, reported 10 deaths and is at 6,122, and lately hasn't reported cases data. Neighboring Norway reported 6 deaths to rise to 291,as well as 717 more cases.
No. 35 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 8 cases Friday.
