WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's new coronavirus cases rose to 5,838, which is 34 percent more than the day before, as increased deaths subsided to 52 from 69 one day ago. Also, Florida's first-time coronavirus daily positivity rate decreased from 8.34 percent to 7.82 but Palm Beach County rose from 7.91 percent to 8.22, the Florida Health Department announced Wednesday afternoon.
Florida first-time daily infection rate of tests reported by labs Tuesday was the second time in five days it was under 8 percent, with the day before 8.31, the highest since 9.65 on Aug. 12. The two-week low was 4.91 on Oct. 28.
Palm Beach County's percentage rate is back at 8 percent or above for the third time in the past two weeks, including two days ago 8.55, which was was the highest since 8.81 on Aug. 10, not including a date dump when it was 8.68 two weeks ago. The lowest over two weeks was 4.59 five days ago when it broke a string of 12 days in a row 5 percent or above. 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 for all tests decreased to 9.14 percent on 79,635 tests one day after 9.64 on 56.646 tests and two days after 10.0 on 52,427 tests, the last time it was above 10 percent (10.33 previously on Aug. 31). The two-week low was 6.01 on Oct. 28. 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 4,353. Two 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. On Thursday 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.
Last Wednesday they rose by 4,423.
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 21 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.
Tuesday's deaths rose by 69 and last Wednesday's increase was 32.
Palm Beach County increased by 2 to 1,614 deaths, which is second to Miami-Dade and ahead of Broward after an increase of 2 Tuesday.
St. Lucie rose by 2 to 343, 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 4 and Miami-Dade by 3.
With a net increase of 11 deaths in South Florida of the 52 state total, there are 7,553, which is 43.7 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
The number of deaths over one week is 378, an average of 54, compared with 319 the previous week.
In one week cases have risen by 36,889 for an average of 5,270 at 4.5 percent. The previous week the increase was 30,691 with an average of 4,385. The average since the first case, which was 255 days ago, is 3,365 per day.
Florida's total of 858,012 cases is 8.3 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 364 one day after 367. 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 250 days, the death toll has reached 17,300 for an average of 69 per day. Florida's total including nonresidents is 17,512, which remained at 212.
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 Tuesday 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: 52 on Oct. 17.
The state report Wednesday identified 58 deaths with 6 previously reported cases deleted as a fatality for a net increase of 52.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 243compared with 281 the day before. The state reported Wednesday there are currently 3,054 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which was 29 more in one day, the second in a row more than 3,000 and the highest since September.
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 141 additional deaths reported Wednesday after a state-record 324 on Aug. 11, for a total of 19,004. California reported 69 for third place with 18,070. New Jersey, which had been second throughout the pandemic, is in fifth place with 16,476, adding 15 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 12 deaths over seven days for 0.7 percent with an average of 46 per week since the first death. The U.S. figure is 3.43 percent with the world at 4.7 percent.
Miami-Dade rose to 3,693 with 23 more in seven days and 106 average since the first death. Broward is at 1,564 with the increase of 30 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 by 1 and Okeechobee none.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 20 states, including Kentucky's 1,604 with 14 reported Wednesday.
Hillsborough is fourth place with an increase of 4 to 851 as Pinellas increased by 5 838 in fifth place, Polk rose by 1 to 643 in sixth, Orange by 3 to 601 in seventh and Lee by 1 to 538 in eighth.
The state report Wednesday identified 3 deaths in Palm Beach County though the increase was 2 with two women (78, 97) and an 83-year-old man. St. Lucie identified a 65-year-old man with the increase 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 858,012, third in the nation and 14th in cases per million.
Texas surpassed California with the most cases in the U.S. at 985,380, adding 10,097, according to the state website. Hopkins lists the total cases at 1,011,357. California is at 984,682 with 7,464. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 540,965 with an increase of 4,820, the highest since 5,902 on April 26.
Twenty-six states reported at least 2,000 cases, including No. 5 Illinois with a U.S.-high and state record for the second day in a row 12,657. Five other states set records: No. 30 Kansas with 5,881, No, 16 Indiana with 5,086, No. 25, Colorado 3,975, No. 7 North Carolina with 3,119 and No. 29 Kentucky with 2,698. Other states with high numbers were: No. 9 Wisconsin with 7,048, No. 13 Michigan with 6,620, No. 11 Ohio with 5,874, No. 19 Minnesota with 4,889, No. 23 Iowa with 5,039, No. 14 Pennsylvania with 4,098, No. 8 Tennessee with 3,632. Some stated hadn't reported data yet.
Miami-Dade's cases were 618 compared with 523 the day before and Broward's increase was 444 vs. 263. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day was Martin 18 vs. 25, St. Lucie 39 vs. 34, Indian River 47 vs. 31 and Okeechobee 60 vs. 8.
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 decreased to 5.74 percent one day after 6.28, a two-week high of 8.40 four days ago and a two-week low of 5.12 on Oct. 28. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was 7.51 percent one day after 6.51, a two-week high of 8.19 four days ago and a two-week low of 4.31 Oct. 30.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie's rate decreased significant to 4.99 percent one day after 7.96, a two-week high of 9.09 two days ago and a 14-day low of 3.04 three days ago. Martin's rate was 5.87 percent one day after 6.0, a two-week low of 2.65 five days ago and a two-week high of 6.32 on Nov. 3. Indian River's rate was 8.44 percent one day after 7.64, a two-week high of 10.0 two days ago and a two-week low of 3.69 on Oct. 30. Okeechobee's rate was 8.56 percent on 107 negative tests one day after 8.422 percent on 87 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 (2.1 the day before) for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 2.3 percent in the United States and 2.4 percent worldwide, which neared 1,289,000 deaths and passed 52.4 million cases Wednesday, 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 (-0.1), 3.0 percent in Indian River and Okeechobee 2.4 percent.
Florida has 806 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 747 per million. New York, which represents 14.0 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,743 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 165.4 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.
One hundred people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with no increase.
A total of 5,506 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 12 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 14,233 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 90, and 334 were hospitalized, which rose by 2. From ages 5-14, there are 38,340, an increase of 346, with 309 in the hospital at one time, which didn't change.
From the infant to 54 age group, there are 610,631 of the 846,321 residents' cases. In that group, 1,147 have died, with an increase of 6, for a 0.19 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 720,463 cases. A total of 3,057 have died, with 15 more, for a 0.41 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 406 with an increase of 102; Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, increased by 51 to 9,027followed by Boca Raton at 8,619 up from 8,560, Boynton Beach went to 4,992 from 4,965 and Delray Beach at 3,853 vs. 3,824. A total of 1,833 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 5,708, an increase of 27, followed by Fort Pierce at 3,202, up 5, and Stuart with 2,590, which rose by 8.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, increased by 4 to 450 with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 51,115 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 49,889 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 4,296 in Palm Beach County, with 18 more compared with 20 the day before. Martin rose by 1 to 431, St. Lucie by 5 to 821, Indian River by 3 at 378 and Okeechobee by 1 to 198.
Long-term care
Forty percent of the deaths, 6,929 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 731 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 853 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 14 and Palm Beach County rose by 3.
Nation
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 241,798, a rise of a world-high 2,127 Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins. Worldometers.info has tabulated 247,397 deaths with an increase of 1,478. And the Covid Project has recorded 233,080 with an increase of 1,341.
Cases rose to 10,400,227, a rise of a record 148,098, surpassing the mark of 136,325 Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins. COVID Tracking Project lists the case increase as a record 144,270 one day after a rise of 130,989 Tuesday. Worldometers.info has it at as a 142,808, beating the mark of record 142,212 Tuesday.
Last Wednesday in the U.S., there were 1,104 more deaths and 102,946 cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 7,844 at 3.43 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation at 33,716 with Johns Hopkins reporting 11 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 a U.S.-high 153, No. 7 Massachusetts 38, No. 8 Pennsylvania 62, No. 9 Georgia 76 and No. 10 Michigan 42.
Also, No. 11 Arizona reported 36 deaths. Three set state records: No. 19 Tennessee with 89, No. 23 Alabama with 81 and No. 24 Minnesota with 58. No. 25 Washington, the original epicenter in the U.S., reported 2 more deaths Wednesday.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 14.5 percent of 10,184 deaths Wednesday, reaching five digits for the first time and passing the previous mark of 9,232 Friday, 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 58,099 at 4.7 percent.
Last Wednesday's death increase was 9,159.
Cases increased 613,741 after a record 625,053 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 564 deaths to rise to 163,406. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 47,724 cases, the highest since 48,632 on Saturday, and is at 5,749,007 in third place.
India reported 44,281 new cases compared with a world-record 97,894 in September for second-place behind the U.S., with 8,636,011. Also, India recorded 512 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 127,571 and in third place.
Mexico announced 588 more deaths late Tuesday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 96,430 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 4,781 deaths and 268,988 cases.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom reported 595 deaths, the highest since 611 on May 6 as well as 22,950 cases after a record 26,684 in late October. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 deaths in one day, reported 623, the highest since 638 on April 6, and 32,961 cases three days after a record 39,811. No. 7 France announced 328 deaths one day after 857 and compared with a record of 1,437 in April, as well as 35,879 cases four days after a record 86,852. No. 8 Spain reported 349 deaths and 19,096 cases, behind a record 22,516 Friday.
No. 9 Iran reported a record 462 deaths and a record 11,780 cases. No. 10 Peru added 39 deaths.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 1,836,960, including 19,851 two days after a record 21,798. The nation gained a record 432 deaths in 13th.
No. 22 Canada reported 53 deaths for a total of 10,685 and 4,024 cases, after a record 4,672 on Nov. 3.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" with no lockdown, reported 10 deaths and is at 6,082 deaths, and lately hasn't reported cases data. Neighboring Norway reported no deaths for the fifth day in a row to remain at 285, as well as 624 more cases.
No. 35 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 15 cases Thursday.
