WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's coronavirus cases rose by 31,518 and deaths increased by 217 with the total toll including nonresidents passing 22,000 in two days of data released by the state Florida Department of Health on Saturday afternoon.
The daily average for the two days of increase: 15,759 infections and 108.5 fatalities. In total new cases each day (not increase from before), there were a record 20,015 reported Thursday from labs and 9,752 Friday for a total of 29,767.
Last Saturday's increases for two days of data after Christmas: 17,042 infections (8,521 per day) and 140 fatalities (70 per day).
Florida closed out the year Thursday with a record increase of 17,192 cases in one day, shattering the mark of 15,300 on July 12, as deaths rose by 127, which was 10 less than the day before.
Floridsa was among 7 states reporting triple-digit increases, but three were for one day of data, including California with a U.S.-high 386.
Tests reported from labs Friday were 110,060 one day after a record 218,233 and two days after 166.430. The previous record was 180,151 three days ago. The state's daily first-time positivity rate was 10.13 percent compared with 11.14 one day ago, 11.6 two days ago and a record 23.0 four days ago. The two-week low was 7.98 each on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24. Palm Beach County's rate was 8.25 percent one day after 9.51, two days after 9.94 and four days after a record 19.79. The two-week low was 6.11 on Dec. 25.
The state's total daily positivity rate was 11.97 percent one day after 12.95 and two days after 13.27 with a record 26.33 four days ago and a two-week low of 9.92 Dec. 23. The previous high was 24 percent on April 15. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27.
The state considers anything above 5 percent in the danger threshold.
No information was released on New Year's Day. Other dates with no data were Christmas, Thanksgiving and Saturday, Oct. 10, when there was a data discrepancy problem. On the day after Thanksgiving, Florida reported 109 deaths and 17,344 cases over two days.
State testing sites also were closed Friday.
A total of 16.9 percent of the additional cases were in Miami-Dade: 5,314 for two days. Much fewer were Palm Beach County with 2,082 after 991 two days ago and a one-day high of 1,171 on July 11, with Broward 2,500, St. Lucie 503, Martin 175, Indian River 322 and Okeechobee 61.
Florida's cases rose Wednesday by 13,871, which was the highest since July, and Tuesday's cases increase was 12,075.
On Sunday, the state reported 7,391 infections, which were the fewest since 6,659 on Nov. 30 and the 77 deaths were the lowest since 74 on Tuesday, Dec. 19.
Florida's cases reached 1,354,833 with only No. 1 California and No. 2 Texas also reporting more than 1 million.
It took 10 days for cases to go from 1.2 million to 1.3, 9 days to record more than 100,000, 10 days to pass 1.1 million, 12 days to surpass 1 million, 13 days to exceed 900,000. The first 100,000 was on June 22.
Over seven days, cases have risen by 90,245 for an average of 12,892 at 7.1 percent. The previous week the increase was 71,423 for an average of 10,203. The average since the first case, which was 308 days ago, is 4,399 day.
Florida's cases are 6.6 percent of the total infections in the U.S., which passed 19 million Sunday and 20 million Thursday. The state comprises 6.5 percent of the U.S. population.
Since the first two cases were announced nine months ago on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 6.3 percent of the state's 21.48 million population, 26th in cases per million. In average cases per 100,000 over the last seven days, Florida is in 28th at 49.2 with California No. 1 at 90.5, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
After the first two deaths in Florida were announced on March 6, which is 301 days, the death toll has reached 21,890 for an average of 73 per day -- fourth behind No. 1 New York, Texas and California. Florida's total including nonresidents is 22,210, which rose by 3 to 320.
It took 9 days to increase 1,000 to pass 20,000 residents' deaths one Monday ago, 12 days to pass 19,000 deaths of residents on Dec. 5 from 18,000 and on Monday, Nov. 23, the state surpassed the 18,000 death milestone, taking 17 days to increase more than 1,000. 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.
Deaths rose by 127 Thursday after 137 Wednesday, 101 on Tuesday after 93 on Monday.
The increase of 137 tied with Monday, Dec. 14 for most since 141 on Oct. 15.
Until Florida's increase of 120 deaths Dec. 14, they had remained under 100 since 105 on Oct. 21. The record was 276 deaths on Aug. 11. One day after Thanksgiving, 109 deaths were reported for two days of data.
Palm Beach County increased by 13 to 1,908 for two days after 14 reported Thursday. First-place Miami-Dade increased by 51 to 4,239 and Broward is third at 1,862 with 15 more.
St. Lucie rose by 1 to 406, Martin stayed at 210 and Indian River by 1 to 159. Okeechobee is still at 51 with its first two fatalities on July 25.
With a net increase of 81 deaths in South Florida of the 217 two-day state total, there are 8,836, which is 40.4 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
The number of increased deaths over one week is 755, an average of 108 and 3.6 percent, compared with 662 the previous week. Palm Beach County increased by 48 deaths over seven days for 2.6 percent. The U.S. figure is 5.5 percent with the world at 4.3 percent.
State and county increases represent fatalities received by the state through Saturday 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: 106 on Dec. 5.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 280 compared with 360 two days ago. The state reported Saturday there are currently 6,701 6,363 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which is an increase of 438 from two days ago. It passed 5,000 on Dec. 15. The high of 9,520 was on July 21 though the state didn't begin posting data until July.
DEATHS
Since June 16, Florida has climbed seven spots from 11th place in the nation to fourth. And the state is 22nd in deaths per million.
The 21 deaths reported Sunday Nov. 1 were lowest since 20 on Monday, Oct. 26.
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's death count is higher than 16 states, including Rhode Island at 1,777.
Fourth-place Hillsborough County rose by 13 to 1,084, Pinellas rose by 4 to 1,052 in fifth place, Polk by 1 to 791 in sixth, Orange by 1 to 750 in seventh, Duval by 14 to 739 in eighth and Lee by 3 to 675 in ninth.
CASES
Cases have been trending up in the state.
On Monday, Sept. 29, the 738 cases were fewest since June 2 when there were 617 additional infections.
The last lowest rise was 6,659 on Nov. 30.
TESTING
Worldometers.info lists Florida with 15,950,750 total tests behind No. 1 California, No. 2 New York, No. 3 Texas with Illinois fifth.
Florida first-time daily infection percentage has been below 10 percent all but four days over two weeks.
Palm Beach County's rate of 5.78 Dec. 13 was the first time it was under 6 percent since 5.78 on Nov. 27. The rate was 1.92 on Oct. 11, which was the smallest since 1.5 percent on May 19.
Miami-Dade's rate was 9.3 percent one day after 9.39, two days after 9.93 with a two-week high of 24.18 four days ago and a two-week low of 6.88 Dec. 23 then 6.94. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was 7.93 one day after 9.04, two days after 9.87 with a two-week hif of 24.38 four days ago and a two-week low of 5.96 Dec. 23.
St. Lucie's rate was 17.78 percent one day after 13.45, two days after 13.7 with a two-week high of 34.67 four days ago and a low of 8.74 seven days ago. Martin's rate was 10.85 percent one day after a two-week high of 10.91 and a two-week low of 5.43 Dec. 23. Indian River's rate was 14.77 percent one day after 13.57, two days after 14.12, a two-week high of 26.42 four days ago and a two-week low of 8.64. Dec. 22. Okeechobee's rate of 16.46 percent on 66 negative tests was one day after 16.49 on 243 negative tests, four days after 70.0 on 6 negative tests with a low of 4.67 on 143 tests Dec. 20. On Nov. 1 it was zero percent on 31 negative tests.
MORTALITY
The mortality rate compares positive cases against deaths. The state's rate was 1.6 percent for all deaths and cases (-0.1), including nonresidents, compared with 1.7 percent in the United States and 2.2 percent worldwide, which passed 1,843,000 deaths and neared 85.0 million cases Saturday, according to Worldometers.info.
County rates: Palm Beach County 2.3 percent, Broward 1.3 (-0.1), Miami-Dade 1.4, St. Lucie 2.8 (-0.1), Martin 2.7, Indian River 2.2 (-0.1) and Okeechobee 2.1.
Deaths per million: Florida 1,019, U.S. 1,083, world 236.4. In the U.S., that means roughly 1 in 1,000 people died from a coronavirus cause. New York, which represents 10.9 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,966 per million. Six months ago New York was 25.6 percent of the U.S. deaths.
AGE BREAKDOWN
Five deaths are among youths 14 and under, including a 6-year-old from Hillsborough, two 11-year-olds, a boy in Miami-Dade and a girl in Broward. The class hasn't changed since Sept. 26.
Four other juveniles are among the 35 deaths, an increase of 1, in the 15-24 class, including a 16-year-old girl in Miami-Dade. The class was 33 since Sept. 25.
Ages 25-34: 120 people with no change.
55 and older: 94 percent of fatalities with 62 percent 75 and older. A smaller percentage tested positive – 28 percent age 55 and older and 7 percent 75 and older.
85 and older: 6,953 6,796 people 85 and older, an increase of 157 in two days.
Infant to 4: 23,450 cases, an increase of 553, and 419 were hospitalized, which rose by 3. Ages 5-14: 68,907 70,805 cases, an increase of 1,898, with 383 in the hospital at one time, which rose by 1.
Infant to 54 age group: 954,488 of the 1,331,059 residents' cases. In that group, 1,361 have died with an increase of 6 for a 0.14 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 1,129,160 cases. A total of 3,754 have died, with 27 more, for a 0.33 percentage.
CITIES
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities at 20,399 with an increase of 479 over two days. No. 2 Boca Raton rose by 304 to 14,399. No. 3 Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, went up by 286 to 12,64\. No. 4 Boynton Beach is at 8,001 from 7,799. No. 5 Delray Beach at 6,307 vs. 6,129.
Port St. Lucie leads the Treasure Coast with 9,593, rising 360, followed by Fort Pierce at 5,041, with an increase of 134, and Stuart at 3,785, a rise of 77.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, rose by 15 to 658 with only 3 on May 31.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
A total of 63,148 people in the state have been hospitalized compared with 59,851 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
Palm Beach County: 5,105 with 42 more compared with 27 two days before. Martin rose by 3 to 555, St. Lucie by 10 to 1,059, Indian River by 13 to 522 and Okeechobee reduced by 6 to 247.
LONG-TERM CARE
Thirty-eight percent of the deaths, 8,255, are residents and staff of long-term care with increase of 57. Palm Beach County is second at 831, with a rise of 7. Miami-Dade leads with 910.
NATION
Deaths
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 350,186 Saturday, an increase of 2,398 three days after a record 3,744, according to Johns Hopkins. Twelve states reported at least 50 more deaths, seven reporting two days of data.
Weekly changes: The one-week death increase was 18,177 at 5.5 percent. The increase one week ago Saturday was 1,663.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 New York: had an increase of 118 deaths to rise 38,273 compared with a daily high of 799 in April, according to Johns Hopkins tracking. Hopkins includes probable deaths, meaning there was no positive coronavirus test, with New York state only using confirmed deaths but New York City probable ones. No. 2 Texas: increase of 96 at 27,867. No. 3 California: increase of U.S.-high 386 one day after a state-record 585 deaths at 26,357. No. 5: New Jersey: increase of 27 at 19,187.
Among states in top 10: No. 6 Illinois 29, No. 7 Pennsylvania 261, No. 8 Michigan 265 (three days), No. 9 Massachusetts 79 (two days), No. 10 Georgia 2.
Also with at least 50, all with two days of data: No. 16 North Carolina 144, No. 17 Connecticut 104, No. 21 South Carolina 84, No. 12 Ohio, No. 20 Minnesota 54. Also No. 11 Arizona 46 and No. 29 Washington, the original U.S. epicenter, no data.
Cases
Infections increased to 20,427,780 Saturday with a rise of a record 299,087, beating the previous mark of 249,709 Dec. 18 as many states reported two days of data, according to Johns Hopkins. The increase one Saturday ago was 226,597.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 California at 2,345,909 with U.S.-high 53,341 after U.S.-record 53,711 Dec. 16. No. 2 Texas 1,568,034 with 3,995 four days after record 26,990. No. 4 New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, became the fourth state to pass 1 million at 1,011,665 with 15,849 two days after record 16,802,. No. 5 Illinois at 975,352 with 4,762 after what was a U.S. record 15,415 on Nov. 13.
Twenty-five reported at least 2,000 cases, including states record by No. 10 North Carolina 9,365 for Friday plus 9,365 Saturday. Other high numbers: No. 9 Tennessee 17,330 (two days), No. 6 Ohio 14,293 (two days), No. 8 Pennsylvania 9,253, No. 12 Michigan 8,983 (three days), No. 18 Massachusetts 8,542 (two days), No. 9 Tennessee 8,550 (8,780 also reported day before), No. 11 Arizona 6,604, No. 14 New Jersey 5,528, N. 13 Indiana 5,429, No. 24 Oklahoma 5,119, No. 34 Connecticut 4,412 (two days), No. 23 South Carolina 4,219, No. 20 Virginia 3,989, No. 19 Alabama 3,287.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 25.4 percent of 8,299 Saturday, three days after a record 15,124, and 19.5 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
Weekly changes: The one-week death increase was 77,580 at 4.3 percent. One week ago Saturday, the deaths were 7,414.
Cases: Increased by 552,087, two days after a record 752,159 with 600,000 passing for the first time Nov. 5, 500,00 for the first time Oct. 28 and 400,000 for the first time on Oct. 15. On Christmas, the cases were 534,759.
No. 2 Brazil: 301 deaths for a total of 195,742 compared with record of 1,554 on July 29. Cases: 15,827 behind a record 70,869 on July 29, with total third at 7.700,578.
No. 3 India: 224 deaths, compared with a national-record 1,299, to rise to 149,218 and in third place. Cases: 19,079 compared with a record 97,894, and is second in the world, with 10,305,788
No. 4 Mexico: 344 deaths, compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 126,507 in fourth place. Cases: 6,359 after record 12,511 Dec. 23.
Europe: Coronavirus is surging at record cases levels and deaths that are the highest since the spring with nations instituting lockdowns. The continent reported 2,715 new deaths and 159,361 cases.
Five European nations are in the top 10. No. 5 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter, reported 364 deaths after a record 993 Dec. 3 and 11,831 cases after record 40,896 on Nov. 13. No. 6 United Kingdom 445 deaths, behind the record 1,166 April 21, as well as record 57,725 cases. No. 7 France 156 deaths after 932 on Nov. 13 that was the most since a record of 1,437 in April, as well as 3,466 cases after a record 86,852 on Oct. 31. No. 8 Russia 447 deaths after record 635 and 26,301 cases after record 29,935 Dec. 24 and fourth overall with 3,212,637. No. 10 Spain no data after 148 deaths and 15,603 cases Thursday with the record 22,822 Oct. 27.
Also, No. 14 Germany reported 236 deaths three days after record 1,129 and 8,492 cases, behind the record of 31,553 Dec.18. No. 16 Poland 102 deaths with the record 674 on Nov. 25, and 6,945 cases, behind the record of 37,596 Nov. 23.
No. 9 Iran: 101 deaths after a record 486 on Nov. 16. Cases: 6,045 after a record 14,051 Nov. 27.
No. 23 Canada: 109 deaths with no data the day before and four days after record 257 for a total of 15,715, and 7,583 cases with data reported Friday and five days after record 10,404.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" no data and is 8,727. Neighboring Norway remained at 436 for third day in a row, as well as 463 more cases.
China: the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26 and dropped to 43rd behind Greece. China added 24 cases Sunday.
South Korea: 20 deaths Sunday, four three days after record 40 deaths for a total of 962 plus 657 new cases, behind the record of 1,241 Dec. 25.
Japan: 31deaths six days after record 63 for a total of 3,585, including 13 on a cruise ship, and 3,059 cases two days after record 4,520.
