WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's coronavirus cases increased by 6,257, the highest since Aug. 15, as deaths increased by 39, which was nearly half as many as last Thursday, the Florida Health Department announced. Also, the state's daily positivity rate decreased more than a percentage point to 6.20 and Palm Beach County less than half a point to 7.19 percent.
The state considers rates above 5 percent in the "danger" threshold and Palm Beach County's rate had been consistently less than the state percentage until recently.
Cases have risen in Florida by at least 4,000 for nine of the last 10 days. On Friday, they rose by 5,592, which was the the most since 6,352 on Aug. 15, not including two days' worth of data on Oct. 11 and 7,569 for one day on Sept. 1, which were both because of infection dumps.
Wednesday's new cases were 4,324 and last Thursday it was 4,198.
On Saturday, infections had dropped to 2,331, the only time in the past week they were below 4,000 and the lowest since 2,144 on Oct. 2.
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 458 one day after 291. On Sept. 28, the rise was 27.
Thursday's state death increase of 39 was 7 more than on Wednesday. Last Thursday's rise was 77.
Sunday's 28 deaths were the lowest since 20 one Monday ago. One Sunday ago, they rose by 12, which was the least since 5 on Sept. 23.
The last time there was a triple-digit increase was 105 on Wednesday, Oct. 21, and they were last highest 141 on Thursday, Oct. 15. The record was 276 deaths on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Palm Beach County's deaths increased by 2 to 1,606, which is second to Miami-Dade and ahead of Broward after a rise of 5 Wednesday.
St. Lucie rose by 2 to at 338, Martin remained at 168 and Indian River by 1 to 126, the first increase in one week. Okeechobee decreased by 1 to 42 because of a death revision with its first two fatalities on July 25.
Broward increased by 8 and Miami-Dade didn't change.
With a net increase of 12 deaths in South Florida of the 39 state total there are 7,492, which is 44.2 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, which is 244 days, the death toll has reached 16,961 for an average of 70 per day. Florida's total including nonresidents is 17,170, which remained at 209.
The number of deaths over one week is 313, an average of 45, compared with 381 the previous week.
Florida's total of 827,380 cases is nearly 9 percent of the total infections in the U.S., which passed 9 million Friday, though the state only comprises 6.5 percent of the population.
In one week cases have risen by 32,756 for an average of 4,679 at 4.1 percent. The previous week the increase was 26,533 with an average of 3,790. The average since the first case, which was 249 days ago, is 3,323 per day.
Cases passed 800,000 on Friday, 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.
Florida's first-time daily infection rate of tests reported by labs Wednesday came one day after it rose to 7.73, the highest level since 7.9 on Aug. 17. It was the sixth time in 14 days and fourth in a row it was 6 percent or more with low of 3.67 Oct. 23.
Palm Beach County's first-time percentage dropped slightly from 7.19 percent. Two days earlier it was 8.33, which was the highest since 8.81 on Aug. 10, not including a date dump when it was 8.68 two weeks ago. Nine days ago, the rate hit 8.31 percent. The percentage rate has been 5 percent or above for 12 days in a row. The low was 2.69 on Aug. 23 one day after 3.24 percent. It 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 7.35 percent on 108,800 tests one day after a two-week high of 9.32 percent on 61,926 tests. The two-week low was 4.64 Oct. 23. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27 and the record test total was 142,964 July 11.
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: 70 on Oct. 7.
The state report Thursday identified 63 deaths with 24 previously reported cases deleted as a fatality for a net increase of 39.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 362 compared with 179 the day before. The state reported Thursday there are currently 2,527 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which was 42 more than Wednesday.
Deaths
Since June 16, Florida has climbed seven spots from 11th place in the nation to fourth. And the state is 11th in deaths per million.
Texas is in second place with the addition of a U.S.-high 133 deaths Wednesday after a state-record 324 on Aug. 11, for a total of 18,453. California reported 63 and is in third place with 17,815. New Jersey, which had been second throughout the pandemic, is in fifth place with 16,403, adding 12 fatalities.
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. More than three months ago, July 20, there were 5,075 deaths.
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 26 deaths over seven days for 1.6 percent. The U.S. figure is 2.7 percent with the world at 4.3 percent.
Miami-Dade rose to 3,670 with 36 more in seven days. Broward is at 1,542 with the increase of 20 in a week. St. Lucie has gone up by 4 deaths compared with Martin by 3, Indian River by 1 and Okeechobee by 4.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 20 states, including Kentucky's 1,544 with 20 reported Thursday.
Pinellas increased by 1 to 880 in fourth place, Hillsbourgh by 1 to 828 in fifth, Polk by 2 to 635 in sixth, Orange by 6 to 567 in seventh and Lee by 6 to 529 in eighth.
The state identified 6 deaths in Palm Beach County though the increase was 2 with 4 men (75, 76, 83, 87) and 2 women (37, 94). St. Lucie reported two men (61, 77) and Indian River a 79-year-old man.
Cases
Since the first two cases were announced eight months ago on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 3.9 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 827,380, third in the nation and 12th in cases per million.
California has the most cases in the U.S. at 944,576 with 4,566 more Thursday. Texas had 8,332 and is second overall with 934,994. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 518,812 with an increase of 2,997, the most since 3,491 on May 7.
Fifteen states reported at least 2,500 cases, with nine setting state records. Six states in the Midwest broke records: No. 5 Illinois with a U.S.-high 9,335, No. 14 Michigan with 6,103, No. 12 Ohio with 4,958, No. 17 Indiana with 4,412, No. 24 Iowa with 4,344, No. 21 Minnesota with 3,942. Also in the Midwest, No. 11 Wisconsin had 5,922 one day after a record 5,935. Also setting records were No. 26 Colorado with 3,369, No. 7 North Carolina with 2,859, No. 26 Utah with 2,807, No. 31 Kentucky with 2,268 and Oklahoma with 2,101.
Miami-Dade's cases were 1,396 compared with 879 the day before and Broward's increase was 803 vs. 422. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day was Martin 23 vs. 17, St. Lucie 68 vs. 59, Indian River 34 vs. 59 and Okeechobee 9 vs. 6.
Testing
The state is no longer listing a running total of Floridians tested or total tests. Worldometers.info lists Florida with 10,236,958 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 increased to a two-week high of 6.85 one day after the previous most of 6.79 and a two-week low of 2.47 on Oct. 23. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was 6.36 percent after 6.95, a two-week high of 7.39 Oct. 27 and a two-week low of 2.84 Oct. 23.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie's rate decreased significantly to 4.76 percent one day after 8.19 percent, two-week high of 9.06 Oct. 26 and a low of 3.79 Oct. 25. Martin's rate was 4.59 percent after 6.11, a two-week low of 2.7 Oct. 25 and a two-week high of 6.93 Oct. 27. Indian River's rate was 7.38 percent after 5.22, a two-week high of 8.8 Oct. 24 and a low of 3.93 five days ago. Okeechobee's rate was 3.11 percent on 280 negative tests after 5.83 on 97 negative tests, a two-week high of 15.22 on 39 negative tests two days ago and zero percent on 32 negative tests three days ago.
Mortality rate
The mortality rate compares positive cases against deaths.
The state's rate was 2.1 percent for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 2.4 percent in the United States and 2.5 percent worldwide, which neared 1,239,000 deaths and passed 49.0 million cases Thursday, according to Worldometers.info.
Palm Beach County's rate is 3.0 percent compared with Broward at 1.7 percent (-0.1) and Miami-Dade with 1.9 percent (-0.1). With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 3.6 percent in St. Lucie, 3.1 in Martin, 3.1 percent in Indian River and Okeechobee 2.4 percent, which is the highest ever.
Florida has 790 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 728 per million. New York, which represents 14.4 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,736 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 158.9 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.
Ninety-nine people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with no change.
A total of 5,419 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 3 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 – 28 percent age 55 and older and 7 percent 75 and older.
At the other end of the age spectrum, there are 13,775 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 93, and 329 were hospitalized, which went up by 1. From ages 5-14, there are 36,586, an increase of 385, with 305 in the hospital at one time, which increased by 1.
From the infant to 54 age group, there are 588,085 of the 816,376 residents' cases. In that group, 1,117 have died, with an increase of 6, for a 0.19 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 694,915 cases. A total of 2,982 have died, with 6 more, for a 0.43 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 12,952 with an increase of 93. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, increased by 44 to 8,760, followed by Boca Raton at 8,256 up from 8,187, Boynton Beach went to 4,778 from 4,743 and Delray Beach at 3,702 vs. 3,647. A total of 1,688 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 5,553, an increase of 46, followed by Fort Pierce at 3,137, up 14, and Stuart with 2,534, which rose by 5.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, decreased by 1 to 438 compared with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
The total of 50,077 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 49,011 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 42,230 in Palm Beach County, with an increase of 8 compared with 10 the day before. Martin decreased by 1 to 427, St. Lucie increased by 4 to 797, Indian River by 1 to 360 and Okeechobee stayed at 196.
Long-term care
Forty percent of the deaths, 6,827 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 725 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 848 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 8 and Palm Beach County increased by 1.
Nation
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 234,911, a rise of 1,204, the most since 1,290 on Sept. 15, according to Johns Hopkins. Worldometers.info has tabulated 240,953 deaths with an increase of 1,125.
Cases rose to 9,606,369, a rise of a record 120,921, beating the previous mark of 102,831 a day earlier, according to Johns Hopkins. COVID Tracking Project lists the case increase as a record 116,255 ahead of the former mark of 103,087 the day before. Worldometers.info has it at a record 118,204, ahead of 108,352 the day before.
Last Thursday in the U.S., there were 971 more deaths and 88,521 cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 6,251 at 2.7 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation at 33,569 with Johns Hopkins reporting 13 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 97, No. 7 Massachusetts 27, No. 8 Pennsylvania 42, No. 9 Georgia 56 and No. 10 Michigan 51.
Also, No. 11 Arizona reported 28 deaths, as well as an additional 2,135 cases, the most since 2,992 on Aug. 11. No. 25, the original epicenter in the United States, reported 14.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 12.9 percent of 8,717 deaths, below a record 9,063 Wednesday, though Spain reported 1,300 from several months ago in reclassifying the cause of death, and 19.6 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
The one week world death increase was 51,307 at 4.3 percent.
Last Thursday's death increase was 7,174.
Cases increased surpassed 600,000 for the first time at 604,689, ahead ofthe former mark of 573,616 six days ago, according to Worldometers.info. It hit 400,000 one week ago Friday, Sept. 23.
Brazil has been trending down in deaths and cases. The nation, which is second behind the United States for deaths, reported 609 deaths to rise to 161,779. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 23,317 cases at 5,614,258 in third place.
India reported 50,210 new cases compared with a world-record 97,894 in September, for second-place behind the U.S., with 8,364,086. Also, India recorded 704 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 124,315 and in third place.
Mexico announced 544 more deaths late Thursday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 93,772 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 3,624 of the world's 8,619 deaths and 303,788 of the 586,835 cases Thursday.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom reported 378, as well as 24,141 cases one week after a record 26,688. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported 428, which is the most since 475 on May 2, and a record 34,505. No. 7 France announced 363 deaths, two days after 854, as well as a record 58,046. No. 8 Spain reported a 368 deaths and 21,908 cases after a record 25,595 five days ago.
No. 9 Iran reported 406 deaths two daya after a record 442 deaths and 8,772 cases, which were two days after a record 8,932 cases. No. 10 Peru added 59 deaths.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 1,712,858, including 19,404, one day after a record 19,768. The nation gained 292 deaths in 13th.
No. 22 Canada reported 50 deaths for a total of 10,381 and 3,635 cases, two days after a record 4,672.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" with no lockdown, reported 12 deaths and is at 6,002. Neighboring Norway reported 2 deaths to rise to 284, as well as 375 more cases.
No. 34 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 9 cases Friday.
