For the fourth day in a row, Florida increased its daily record for increased residents deaths by 4 to 257, including 96 in Miami-Dade County, as cases remained under five digits for six consecutive days, a U.S.-high 9,007, the Florida Department of Health announced Friday.
Texas for the second day in a row reported the most deaths in the U.S., 295 after a record 322 Thursday and 315 Wednesday and is in eighth place behind Florida. California reported 96 after a record 197 the day before and is in third place overall.
In the U.S., Florida represented 17.6 percent of the deaths and 12.7 percent of the cases.
Palm Beach County's fatalities increased by 9 after 11 Thursday and a record-tying 21 Tuesday for a total of 815, which is the second highest in the state.
Okeechobee, which had one death removed Thursday, reported a rise of 4 fatalities to six with the first two one week Saturday. July 18. On the Treasure Coast, Martin increased by 2 to 75, St. Lucie also 2 to 120 and Indian River by 4 to 45. Miami-Dade was 4 shy of 100 compared with 60 the day before and Broward by 33.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, the toll has climbed to 6,843. Nonresidents remained at 123 with a total death count of 6,966.
Previous records were 257 Thursday, 216 Wednesday and 186 Tuesday.
Florida's deaths have hit triple digits all within the past few weeks, including 115 last Friday.
The last time there were under 100 deaths was back-to-back 77 on Sunday and Monday, which were the lowest since 35 on Monday, July 13.
State and county increases represent deaths received by the state Thursday and not the number of fatalities that occurred then. The day someone dies and when it is received by the state can lag for several days. So far, the date with the most deaths July 17 with 136.
The state's list of deaths and cases Friday noted 260 deaths were added since the previous day's report and 3 residents were removed because they were "ruled out" as coronavirus-related for a net increase of 257.
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 2.2 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 470,386, second in the nation. In one week, cases have risen by 68,014 at 15.7 percent.
California is in first place with 500,057 cases, including the addition of 8,086 Friday, third in the nation behind Florida, according to tracking by Johns Hopkins. Texas is third behind Florida with 435,956, including an additional 8,839 Friday, which is the second highest in the U.S. New York, which was the leader during the pandemic until two weeks ago, is a 4415,014, with 745 more.
In South Florida, there were 150 of the 257 deaths reported Friday – 58.4 percent – for a total of 3,381 at 49.4 percent though the population only comprises 30 percent. For months the percentage has been above half.
Pinellas is in fourth place with 432, a rise of 14 and Hillsborough climbed by 4 to 335. Lee has 295, with an increase of 9.
Florida has had the most cases in the nation for several days recently, including 9,956 Thursday.
The last time there were cases more than 10,000 was Saturday's rise of 12,299.
Cases in Florida had stayed below 2,000 until June 13 with 2,581 and they often were under 1,000 with the last one of three digits 966 on June 8.
The cases record was 15,300 was July 5 – the highest daily figure ever in the United States. During the height of the pandemic New York also surpassed 11,000. The second highest is 13,965 on July 16.
Testing in Florida has dramatically ramped up from just a few at select sites to massive places throughout Florida as well as nursing homes, jails and farm workers. The total now is 3,633,393, fourth in the nation, behind No. 1 New York, No. 2 California and No. 3 Texas. That Florida figure is 16.9 percent of Florida's population, though some people tested more than once.
The overall positive rate was a record 12.97 percent compared with 12.87 Thursday.
Several weeks ago the daily rate was around 2-3 percent but has risen to 13.99 percent of 97,644 coronavirus or anti-bodies tests reported by labs Wednesday after 15.98 the day before with 79,862 a record 20.71 percent of 51,686 on July 8 when there were 51,686 tests. The lowest over two weeks was 13.50 percent on July 21.
Over two weeks the lowest number tested was 77,149 on July 21. The record test total was 142,964 July 11.
In Palm Beach County, the daily positive rate was the lowest in two weeks, 9.5 percent, compared with 9.4 percent the day before. It was 14.9 in Miami-Dade compared with 16.3 the day before and the lowest in two weeks. In Broward it was 10.8 percent, tying for the lowest in two weeks.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie was 12.7 compared with 9.9 the day before as well as 10.2 in Martin after 9.4, Indian River was 7.1 vs. 10.0 and Okeechobee 14.4 compared with 22.6 the day before, which was the highest in two weeks. Miami-Dade's highest was 26.4 on July 8.
The state reported 10.57 percent of people who tested for the first time were positive on tests received Wednesday – the lowest in two weeks – compared with 11.99 the day before and 12.25 two weeks ago. The previous lowest was 10.58 one week ago Tuesday.
With more testing and no requirements for someone to take a test, the median age is at 40, but 42 for tests reported Thursday. In addition, the state mortality rate is 1.5 percent among residents but among those under 55 it is 0.15 percent.
And at one time, 26,533 have been hospitalized, which is an increase of 516 in one day, compared with 516 the day before.
Cases
In Palm Beach County, new cases were 678 compared with 523 the day before. The record was 1,171 July 5 for a total of 33,274 including residents and nonresidents.
Miami-Dade's cases increased 2,546 compared with 2,773 the day before, and Broward at 1,099 vs. 1,342. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day was 98 in St. Lucie, 30 in Martin, 31 in Indian River and 15 in Okeechobee.
In one week, Palm Beach County has risen by 4,270 cases for a 14.7 percent gain. Miami-Dade has risen by 20,032 at 20.4 percent and Broward by 8,835 at 19.0 percent.
Over seven days, Martin climbed by 234 cases for 7.0 percent, St. Lucie County rose by 849 for 20.4 percent, Indian River by 367 for 20.0 percent and Okeechobee by 96 for 12.0 percent.
Deaths
Deaths rose by 1,190 in the state over seven days for 21.1 percent and in Palm Beach County it was 71 for 9.5 percent. Two months ago the one-week figure was in the mid 200. The U.S. figure is 5.2 percent with the world at 6.2 percent.
Miami-Dade climbed to 1,611, which is 241 more in one week. Broward increased to 709 with a rise of 163 in one week.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 20 states, including Kentucky at 736 with 5 more. Nevada is at 830 after gaining 29.
The state on Friday identified 9 deaths in Palm Beach County: 5 men (87, 77, 88, 89, 92) and 4 women (60, 65, 77, 89). Martin's were two men, 82 and 86. St. Lucie reported two women, 37 and 78 and Indian River three women, 70 and two who were 84. Okeechobee's were four men, 60, 63 and two who were 93.
Tests
Palm Beach County has 33,274 cases out of 256,789 total tested for 13.0 percent overall, not including those awaiting tests and inconclusive. Anything 10.0 percent and above is considered out of "target range" by the health department.
Miami-Dade leads with 118,462 positive cases out of 623,572 tested for 19.0 percent, and Broward is second with 55,411 cases and 394,976 tested for 14.0 percentage.
In Martin County, it's 3,591 of 24,278 for 14.8 percent. In St. Lucie, it's 5,002 out of 39,239 for 12.7 percent, Indian River with 2,204 of 24,764 for 8.9 percent and Okeechobee 893 of 6,106 for 14.6 percent.
Mortality rate
The mortality rate, which compares positive cases against deaths, has been trending down in the state.
It is 1.5 percent in the state for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 3.3 percent in the United States and 3.8 percent worldwide, which passed 682,000 deaths and neared 17.8 million cases Friday.
Palm Beach County's rate was 2.4 percent, compared with Broward at 1.3 percent and Miami-Dade with 1.4 percent. With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 2.4 percent in St. Lucie, 2.1 percent in Martin, 2.0 percent in Indian River and 0.7 percent in Okeechobee.
Florida has 319 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 474 per million. New York, which represents 20.9 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,684 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 87.5 per million.
Age breakdown
The youngest deaths are a 9-year-old girl from Putnam as well as the two 11-year-olds, a boy in Miami-Dade and a girl in Broward, who are the only three in the 5-14 age class.
There are 17 deaths in the 15-24 class with no change. Broward includes a 20-year-old man and 3 women 22 as well as a 16-year-old girl from Lee, a 17-year-old boy from Pasco and a 22-year-old woman from Palm Beach County.
Fifty-one people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus, which also was no change.
A total of 2,285 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 87 in one day.
Ninety-two percent of the fatalities are 55 and older and 62, with the last number increasing by 1 percentage point. A smaller percentage of older people have tested positive – 26 percent age 55 and older and 6 percent 75 and older.
At the other end of the age spectrum, there are 7,800 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 167, and 150 were hospitalized, which was an increase of 3. From ages 5-14, there are 17,779, an increase of 438 with 116 in the hospital at one time, which is an increase of 1.
From the infant to 54 age group, 339,075 of the 465,030 residents have tested positive. But in that group, 511 have died, an increase of 20, for a 0.15 death percentage.
From infant to 64, there are 398,612 cases. A total of 1,155 have died, an increase of 44, for a 0.30 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 8,263, an increase of 142. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, rose 73 to 5,942 followed by Boca Raton at 4,467 up from 4,371 Boynton Beach at 2,920 from 2,857 and Delray Beach at 2,263 vs. 2,218. A total of 690 in the county not designated by a city.
Port St. Lucie leads the Treasure Coast with 2,952, an increase of 75, followed by Fort Pierce at 1,822, up 18, and Stuart with 1,758 vs. 1,742.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, remained at 356, compared with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 26,533 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 23,225 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 2,607 in Palm Beach County, an increase of 27 compared with 32 the day before; 316 in Martin, an increase of 2; 317 in St. Lucie with an increase of 6, Indian River rose by 5 to 156 and Okeechobee went from 82 to 85.
Long-term care
Forty-five percent of the deaths, 2,986 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 335 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 604 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 65 and in Palm Beach County it was an increase of 4.
National
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the toll has risen to 156,747, an increase of 1,462 compared with 1,465 on Wednesday and Thursday and 1,465 Wednesday , the most since 1,568 on May 28, according to Worldometers.info.
Johns Hopkins reports 153,311, a gain of 1,229.
Cases reached 4,705,904, with an increase of 70,904, according to Worldometers.info. They have exceeded 70,000 seven times, including a record 78,407 one week ago Friday.
Last Friday in the U.S., there were 1,162 more deaths.
The one week U.S. death increase was 7,704 at 5.2 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation with 32,765, including 11 more Friday, among the lowest since the outbreak, after a high of 799 in April.
Among other states in the top 10: No. 2 New Jersey with 9, No. 4 Massachusetts with 14, No. 5 Illinois 22, No. 6 Pennsylvania 12, No. 9.
Other top gainers were No. 12 Georgia with 81 and No. 21 Mississippi with a record 52.
Washington, which was the original epicenter in the United States, gained 5 and dropped behind Alabama.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 23.5 percent of the 6,234 additional deaths Friday – and 23.0 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total. The one week world death increase was 39,578 at 6.2 percent.
Cases increased by 282,171 behind a record 289,609 one week ago Friday.
Brazil, which is second behind the United States for deaths, reported 1,1,91 Friday, which was second in the world, after a record 1,554 Wednesday for a total of 96,568. Brazil added 52,509 cases two days after record 70,869 for a total of 2,666,298 – more than half as many as No. 1 U.S.
Mexico reported 688 more deaths late Friday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 to move into third place with a total of 46,688, a few hundred more than United Kingdom. Mexico also set a cases record with 8,458.
For the first tine since the pandemic, the three nations with the most deaths are all in the Western Hemisphere.
India added 765 deaths to rise to 36,551 and in fifth place. The Asian nation also reported a record 57,704 cases for a third-place total of 1,697,054 behind the U.S. and Brazil.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom's deaths increased from 83 to 120 with 46,119. The daily high was 1,172. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported 9 deaths, among the lowest since the pandemic. No. 7 France added 11 and No. 8 Spain reported 2.
No. 9 Peru reported no data Friday after 205 Thursday and No. 10 Iran 197.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 839,981, including an additional 5,482. The nation gained 161 deaths for 11th place.
No. 16 Canada added 6 deaths for a total of 8,935 as well as 5`13 cases.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity," announced 9 deaths for a total of 5,743 in 20th and 45 cases. Neighboring Norway, which had a lockdown, hasn't reported a death since July 17, to remain at 255 as well as 32 more cases.
No. 25 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26 and added 45 cases after 127 Thursday, the most since early April.
Japan, which passed four digits on Wednesday, is at 1,006, including an additional 2 in 45th place as well as a record 1,323 cases.