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Florida becomes third state in nation to surpass 3 million cases

Weekly increases in state: record 1,486 deaths, 150,774 infections
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Posted at 7:10 PM, Aug 20, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-21 12:01:29-04

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida became the third state to pass 3 million total cases as the one-week increase was around 1,000 less than last week, 150,740, which is 21,534 daily, and reported deaths rose by a record 1,486, which is 212 daily, and a 38.7% gain. Also, the weekly first-time daily positivity rate surged to 19.8% one week, including 24.8% among those 12-19 and 23.0 under 12, the highest of the categories, after 19.3 the previous week, according to the weekly report by the Florida Department of Health released Friday afternoon.

The state hospitalizations hit 17,198, compared with 15,840 one week ago but the state's vaccination rate for adults getting at least one dose reached 73.1%, which was 1.3 percentage points more than one week ago, and 51% fully vaccinated among all Florida residents though only people `12 and older are eligible.

The cumulative totals are 42,252 deaths and 3,027,954 cases. The state passed 2 million cases on March 27 and 1 million on Dec. 2. The weekly increase is the most since 1,243 on Jan. 29. One year ago, the increase hit, 1,190 on July 31.

The state listed 346 deaths occurred in the past week, including a child under 16 years old, raising the total to 11 since the pandemic, with 28 more deaths among those 16-29 for a total of 207.

Last week there were 286 deaths that occurred then. Deaths can take several days or even weeks to be reported to the state so the figures will fluctuate.

The most deaths that occurred in one day: 242 on Aug. 5, 2020. The seven-day high was 1,589 on Aug. 5, 2020.

The reported increase last week was 1,071.

The new cases in the state over one week were 150,118, which is different than 150,714 increase because of revisions. Compared with last week's totals, the new cases were 1,297 less than the previous week and the increase was 1,024 less than the record 151,764. Two weeks ago, the rise was 134,751.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now only reflecting the date of occurrence for cases and deaths rather than when reported to the Florida Department of Health. It can take several days or even weeks for the state to receive a report of a death. The CDC has been revising the previous cumulative totals as more data are reported and the CDC did

The state has never listed increases on its since disbanded website and reports as media outlets, including WPTV, did the math each day.

The four-week cases increase is 646,850.

Daily cases have exceeded 8,000 daily since July 15, 12,000 since July 21, 15,000 since Aug. 2.

Last week there were an increase of 1,071 cases and 151,415 the previous week.

On June 4, Florida switched to weekly reports from daily -- the first state in the nation reporting any data every seven days. In addition, the state's dashboard was removed, as well as current hospitalization data. Michigan and Ohio, which are in the top 10 for most deaths, reports deaths only a few days per week.

The CDC lists the seven-day moving average of 20,383 with the record record 2`1,788 Monday. Until recently, the record was 17,568 over seven days was on Jan. 8.

According to data received by the CDC Thursday, U.S. deaths rose 962 with no data from Florida and cases were up 135,494, also with no data from Florida

The first-time daily positivity rate was 7.8 six weeks ago. The state has considered 5.0% or less the ideal rate. The daily record was 23.38% on Dec. 28.

The state, which is the third most-populous with 16.5% of the population, is fourth in the nation, behind California with 64,503, New York with 53,959 and Texas with 53,738.

Florida is third in cases behind California with 4,084,799 and Texas with 3,411,118.

The overall first-time positivity rate is 19.8%, up 0.5% in one week.

The state reports don't include nonresidents' deaths and cases.

The weekly reports don't list deaths for each county but include other data:

Palm Beach County: Cases: 189,146 residents (9,2547 new). First-time positivity average in past week: 17.9%.

St. Lucie County: Cases: 37,879 resident (2,192 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 28.1%

Martin County: Cases: 16,371 residents (673 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 19.6%

Indian River County: Cases: 17,552 residents (1,174 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 25.3%

Okeechobee County: 5,402 residents (380 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 30.4%.

Broward County: 309,182 residents (13,521 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 16.1%.

Miami-Dade County: 603,878 residents (19,906 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 12.6%.

In other data, the state reported there are 11 deaths under 16 (increase of one) and 342,378 cases (213,934 previous week). At the other extreme, for 65 and older there are 33,815 deaths (32,870 previous week), which is 80.0% of total) and 398,785 cases (381,619 previous week), which is 13.2% of total.

The state's mortality rate (cases vs. deaths) was 1.4%, dropping 0.1% in a week, including 8.5% for 65 and older but less than 1% in younger ages except 1.8% for 60-64. It is 1.7% in the United States and 2.1% worldwide.

In deaths per million, Florida is 1,887 (22th in nation), U.S. 1,946, world 558.4. New York, which represents 8.8% of the deaths in the nation, has 2,803 per million, second behind New Jersey at 3,010.

Florida's deaths are 6.7% of the total infections in the U.S. and 8.1% of the cases. The state comprises 6.6% of the U.S. population.

Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, 2020, Florida's total has surged to 14.1% of the state's 21.48 million population, sixth in cases per million. In cases per 100,000 for seven days, Florida is third at 43.3 with Mississippi No. 1 at 843.4and Louisiana No. 2 at 790.9, according to the CDC.

The CDC has directed states to generally count one case per person unless the virus was contracted again more than 90 days.

Florida is third in total tests at 34,417,731 in data through Monday. Some people have taken more than one test.

In the past week, there were 341,230 tests, which is 52,900 daily. On Dec. 23 there were a record 150,587 tests.

Hospitalizations have been increasing dramatically to 178,198 compared with a record 17,295 the day before and 4,262 on July 10 with the record until recently 10,179 on July 23, 2020, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health. Of the 258 hospitals reporting, 29.31% are occupied with COVID-19 patients and 86.01% (51,308) with all patients of the 59,655 total beds. The day before 259 hospitals reported data.

In state vaccination data from the CDC, 73.1% of Florida's population 18 and older has had at least one dose (12,638,640) and 60.9% fully vaccinated (10,512,347). President Joe Biden had set a nationwide goal of 70% vaccinated by July 4 with at least one dose by adults and the current figure is 72.7. Totally vaccinated is 62.2%.

Twenty-two states (one more than last week) achieving the 70% standard are Hawaii (86.8%), Vermont (86.3%), Massachusetts (86.1%), Connecticut (84.4%), New Jersey (82.0%), New Mexico (81.7%), Maine (81.5%), Rhode Island (81.4%), California (80.9%), Pennsylvania (80.9%), Maryland (79.9%), Washington (79.4%), New York (78.3%), Illinois (77.2%), New Hampshire (76.9%), Virginia (76.1%), Delaware (74.9%), Colorado (74.2), Minnesota (73.9%), Oregon (73.9%), Florida (73.3%), Utah (70.8%). The two worst percentages: Wyoming 54.15% and Mississippi at 55.5%.

Also reaching the benchmark are Puerto Rico (78.1%), Guam (78.2%), District of Columbia (77.7%).

For those 12 and older in Florida, 71.2% had at least one dose (13,320,627) and the complete series is 58.6% (10,960,462).

For the total population, the percentage is 62.1% (13,328,388) and the complete series is 51.0% (10,961,995).