WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida residents' coronavirus deaths are the third most in the nation, surpassing New York, which was the epicenter during the height of the pandemic, as both have amassed more than 55,000 fatalities.
Also Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,741 new cases in Florida, the fewest since 1,741 July 5 with the increase 3,691 and more than 27,000 one day in August. And hospitalizations have dropped to 4,847, which is 8.5% capacity of the 57,990 total beds compared with the record 17,295 on Aug. 19.
Florida has reported 55,619 deaths, which is 121 more than New York, with a total of 55,498, according to the most recent data. Florida's total comes from the CDC, while New York's is from more recent Johns Hopkins tracking. California is No. 1 with 69,449 and Texas No. 2 with 66,044.
During the height of the pandemic New York reported as many as 800 deaths daily, as well as 7,695 weekly on April 12. Florida, meanwhile, reported 240 deaths that entire week. In June Florida 2020 ranked 11th for most deaths.
One year ago on Oct. 4, Florida had 14,628 deaths but since then the state has added 40,991 fatalities. New York was at 33,192 and added 22,306. At the time, New York had 15.8% of the nation's deaths and now it is 7.9%. Florida's percentage is 7.6%.
The CDC lists the U.S. death toll at 700,176.
In the past week, New York added 269 deaths, compared with 1,719 in Florida, two weeks after a record 2,468.
Florida only counts confirmed deaths, meaning the person tested positive for COVID-19. New York City County probable deaths, which total 5,161, but the rest of the state only counts confirmed fatalities.
Florida's population of 21,480,000 is the third most populous in the nation ahead of New York's 19,453,561 but behind California at 39.51 million and Texas at 29.0 million.
Florida's deaths per million is 2,561, which ranks sixth in the United States. New York is fifth at 2,879 with Mississippi No. 1 at 3,255 and New Jersey No. 2 at 3,095.
Florida's mortality rate (cases vs. deaths) is 1.5% compared with 2.3% in NewYork.
After Florida's first two deaths were announced one year ago March 6, which is 576 days ago, the state has averaged 97 deaths each day, or 679 a week.
Deaths can take several days or even weeks to be reported to the state so the figures will fluctuate.
Florida set a record for most deaths in one day: 401 on Aug. 27. Until the recent spike, the record was 242 on Aug. 4, 2020.
The record increase was 276 on Aug. 11 when the state was giving daily reports. Those ended on June 4.
The highest seven-day moving average is 371 daily (2,597 weekly) on Sept. 1. Until the spike, the record was 227 (1,589 weekly) only Aug. 5.
Last year the highest weekly seven-day increase was 1,266 (181 daily) on Aug. 16, 2020. The first-time daily positivity rate last year was 9.04%. Earlier this year it was less than 5% now the weekly figure is 6.5%.
Earlier this year, Florida surpassed New York for the third-most cases in the nation.
Florida's cases have risen to 3,586,802, compared with No. 1 California at 4,515,715 (three-day increase of 18,998) and Texas at 4,071,599 (2,980 daily). New York is fourth with 2,424,368, adding 2,896 most recently.
In data released by the state Friday, Florida's cases rose by 37,299, which is a 26.5% decline in one week, and a fraction of a record 152,760 five weeks ago. The daily cases record is 27,777 reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 26.
On Sept. 1 the new cases were 21,564, the last time it was above 21,000.