WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's coronavirus cases are dramatically decreasing, rising 42,373 in one week, about one third of a week ago and the lowest in two months with the most recently daily 5,325. Two other key indicators are also trending downsignificantly — positivity rates and hospitalizations — with death numbers steady.
The infection rate dropped to 8.2% from a record 31.3%, including Palm Beach County 6.1%. Hospitalizations are 4,637, which is a decrease of 283 from the day before and the least since 4,433 Dec. 30 with 11,839 Jan. 19, the most since 12,651 Sept. 11 and much less then record 17,295 in the summer during the delta surge. One week ago it was 6,301. Tests are way down from an all-time high at the start of the year.
But increase of 1,330 was slightly higher than one week ago.
And hospitalizations are 4,637, which is a decrease of 283 from the day before and the least since 4,433 Dec. 30 with 11,839 Jan. 19, the most since 12,651 Sept. 11 and much less then record 17,295 in the summer during the delta surge. One week ago it was 6,301. Tests are way down from an all-time high at the start of the year.
During a spike, cases first rise, then hospitalizations, then deaths.
Fatalities rose to a cumulative 68,902, which is third in the nation with 83.5% of the increase, 1,111, those 65 and older. The weekly increased deaths compare with 1,293 one week ago, 1,324 two weeks ago but more than half of the record of 2,448 during the delta surge on Sept. 10, according to data from the Florida Department of Health. Four weeks ago 605, five weeks ago 470 and six weeks ago 184, among the lowest since the pandemic.
The cases reported Friday were the eighth day in a row under 10,000.
For comparison person, weekly deaths' increase is a little more than half of the daily record of 76,646 reported Jan. 8.
The first four months of the pandemic in Florida in 2020 had 400,000 cases. The entire United States had under 400,000 cases in a week in late July.
The cumulative cases total is 5,732,798 behind California and Texas. Florida increase is the least since 28,841 on Dec. 17, one week before the spike of 124,861.
Florida passed 5 million on Jan. 15, 4 million on Dec. 28, 2021; 3 million on Aug. 19, 2021, 2 million March 27, 2021 and the first million on Dec. 2, 2020. The first cases were reported in Florida on March 1, 2020.
Five weeks ago the first-time positivity rate rate dropped for the first time after a record 31.3%. It was 2.6% 10weeks ago with the record low 2.1% earlier. Before the spike, the last time it was above the 5% target rate was 6.6% on Sept. 24. The overall first-time positivity rate is 26.8% compared with 24.8% the week earlier.
The state reported 22% of youths 5-11 have been vaccinated, up 1 percentage points from a week earlier. The state listed vaccination data for those 5-11 is 363,567 compared with 358,248 one week earlier. Nearly nine of 10 adults (89.2%, just 0.2 percentage points increase) have at least one vaccination shot and those 12 and older at 87.3%.
The state reported there are 40 deaths under 16 (no change) and 799,755 cases (793,726 previous week) and 16-29 there have been 467 deaths (increase of three) and 1,284,697 cases (1277,928 previous week). At the other extreme, for 65 and older there are 51,908 deaths (50,797 previous week), which is 75.3% of total and 743,843 cases (734,711 previous week), which is 12.9% of total.
Cases
Generally, at-home rapid tests are not reported to agencies. The state didn't give any details on the processing of tests from labs, including whether there was a backlog because of the holiday weekend. The first omicron "stealth" variant has been reported from labs in Florida.
The new daily cases record was 76,646 posted on Jan. 9. Three other times cases exceeded 70,000.
The state since June 4 has not released daily data, though information goes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Just 67 days ago the daily increase was 1,947. Ten weeks ago the entire weekly cases total was 13,452. Until the recent spike, the previous record for increase in the state was 152,760 23 weeks ago.
Last week the weekly increase was 122,428 and five weeks ago a record 429,311. On Nov. 30 the weekly 9,792 increase was the lowest since the state went to weekly reports on June 4.
On Monday, 4,179 cases were reported, fewest since 3,392 posted Dec. 14.
The seven-day moving average is 6,075, lowest since reported 5,883 Dec. 17, with the record 65,300 Jan. 11. One week ago it was 9,811.
The new cases in the state over one week were 42,473, one week after 103,022, five weeks after a record 430,095 and 12 weeks after 9,641, the lowest since the state week to weekly reports, which is different than the increase because of revisions.
During the surge from the delta variant, the daily record was 27,663 on Aug. 26.
With the omicron spreading worldwide in the past month, Florida's cases had climbed exponentially.
Only 684 cases were reported on Nov. 26.
Twice week a CDC revises new daily cases in data provided by the state.
Deaths
The state set a record for most deaths in one day: 424 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.
Until Friday's report 21 weeks ago, deaths had surpassed 2,000 four weeks in a row: 2,340 after 2,468, 2,448, 2,345.
The state listed 161 deaths occurred in the past week with 195 the previous week and 433 20 weeks ago.
The CDC 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 state has never listed increases on its since disbanded website and reports as media outlets, including WPTV, did the math each day.
Counties
All Florida counties' level of coronavirus transmission are listed as high, according to the CDC.
Every positivity rate and number of cases in South Florida went down. Okeechobee is the highest in the area at 12.3% with Bradford the highest at 26.1%. The lowest South Florida is Miami-Dade at 3.7 with Broward at 5.2%. Three weeks ago five counties in the state were above 40%.
Palm Beach County: Cases: 361,277 residents (1,,840 new, 4,874 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 6.1% (11.1% past week, 6.5% nine weeks ago).
St. Lucie County: Cases: 72,628 residents (1,469new, 1,021 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 8.9% (past week 15.6%, nine weeks ago 3.5%).
Martin County: Cases: 30,826 residents (188 new, 396 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 7.1% (12.7% previous week, nine weeks ago 3.8%).
Indian River County: Cases: 31,901residents (286 new, 517 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 10.7% (previous week 16.3%, 3.4% nine weeks ago).
Okeechobee County: 10,514 residents (71 new, 95 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 12.3% (previous week 14.6%, 2.1% eight weeks ago).
Broward County: Cases: 594,046 residents (2,800 new, 7,478 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 5.2% (previous week 9.3%, 6.9% nine weeks ago).
Miami-Dade County: 1,166,573 residents (4,655 new, 19,976 past week). First-daily positivity in past week: 3.7% (previous week 11.2%, 7.0% nine weeks ago).
Tests
Florida has reported 53,351,151 tests through Feb. 11 with California No. 1 at 121,088,419. Some people have taken more than one test.
In one week, there were 624,353 tests, which is 89,193 daily. One week ago it was 594,512.
The daily record for tests was 276,091on Jan. 3 with the most recent Feb. 11 at 76,929.
The state doesn't include test data in its weekly reports.
National/world
The state's mortality rate (cases vs. deaths) was 1.2% (no change) including 7.0% for 65 and older but less than 1% in younger ages except 1.8% for 60-64. It is 1.2% in the United States and 1.4% worldwide.
In deaths per million, Florida is 3,193 (19th in nation), U.S. 2,866, world 755.8. Mississippi is first at 3,977, Arizona second at 3,780, New Jersey third 3,676, Alabama fourth 3,646. New York, which had been second for most of the pandemic behind New Jersey, is now seventh at 3,461, behind Louisiana at 3,528 and Tennessee at 3,501.
Florida's deaths are 7.4% of the total in the U.S. total and 7.4% 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 26.9% of the state's 21.48 million population, eighth in cases per million behind No. 1 Rhode Island and No. 2 North Dakota. In cases per 100,000 for seven days, Florida is 34th among states at 198.0 (one week after 17th) with Maine No. 1 at 1,784.5, Alaska second at 615.6, Idaho third at 607.6, West Virginia fourth at 551.6. Among territories, Northern Mariana Islands is second at 2,204,4, Guam second at 1,738.4, Palau third at 1,583.7.
On Friday, California reported a U.S.-high 12,577 cases, one week after 22,947, behind the national record 143,290 Jan. 11.
Texas gained 10,475 cases, after a record 75,917 Jan. 11, and is third at 6,501,313..
New York reported 4,847 cases Friday compared with the record 90,132 Jan. 8 and is fourth overall at 4,881,111.
No states have set daily cases records in the past three weeks.
The U.S. overall reported 101,303 cases Thursday one week after 164,386 with the record 1,336,005 Jan. 10, according to the CDC.
World figures skyrocketing during the omicron strain, including record 3,804,379 Jan. 20, according to Worldometers.info.
These are the records since the omicron spike: France 501,635, Brazil 286,050, Italy 228,179, Britain 218,724, Germany 247,128, Russia 203,949, Netherlands 189,377 (Tuesday), Spain 161,688, Australia 153,968, Argentina 134,439, Turkey 111,157, Japan 100,949, South Korea 93,127 (Thursday), Israel 83,739, Mexico 60,552, Canada 55,350, Greece 50,126. India's 335,348 most recently is less than record 414,433 May 6, 2021.
California has the most deaths at 82,873, adding a daily-high 284 Friday with Texas second at 82,084 with an additional 240. New York gained 78 for a total of 66919 in fourth.
Deaths reported Thursday in the U.S. were 2,226 and the record is 4,069 Jan. 13, 201 with 4,030 Feb. 1 this year, the second highest, according to the CDC.
Hospitalizations
The record low is 1,228 Nov. 29 with the highest 17,295 Aug. 29.
Of the 261 hospitals reporting, 7.79% of the available beds are occupied with coronavirus patients. The total beds in use: 48,773 (80.99%). The previous day the same number of hospitals was 260.
In the U.S.. hospitalizations dropped to 68,902 (13.86%) after a record 160,113 Jan 20. Until the spike record was 142,315 on Jan. 14 last year. The high during the delta surge was 103,896 Sept. 1.
Florida is third in U.S. with covid hospitalizations with California first with 7,423 (11.01%), Texas second with 7,168 (10.61%). New York is fourth with 3,575 (7.63%%),
Vaccinations
In state vaccination data from the CDC, 89.0% of Florida's population 18 and older (0.2% increase in week) has had at least one dose (15,351,355) and 75.5% fully vaccinated (13,018,631). 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 87.3%. Totally vaccinated is 74.5%. Boosters for those eligible 18 and older: 45.9%.
In addition, the CDC is now capping percentages at 95%.
Forty-nine states achieving the 70% standard (Mississippi added in past week( d are New Hampshire (95.0%), Massachusetts (95.0%), Connecticut (95.0%), Vermont (95.0%), Rhode Island (95.0%), New Jersey (95.0%), Maine (95.0%), New York (95.0%), Hawaii (95.0%), New Mexico (95.0%), Maryland (95.0%), North Carolina (95.0%), Virginia (94.9%), Pennsylvania (94.6), Delaware (93.0%), California (92.3%), Washington (90.5%), Florida (89.0%), Colorado (88.7%), South Dakota (88.6%), Oregon (86.6%), Nevada (86.4%), Kansas (86.3%), Illinois (85.7%), Utah (85.6%), Minnesota (84.9%), Oklahoma (83.9%), Texas (82.8%), Nebraska (81.6%), Arizona (81.5), Wisconsin (81.4%), Alaska (80.5%), Iowa (78.7%), South Carolina (77.4%), Arkansas (77.0%), North Dakota (76.8%), Kentucky (76.6%), Missouri (76.2%), Georgia (76.0%), Michigan (76.0%), Montana (74.5%), West Virginia (74.1%), Alabama (73.5%), Ohio (73.1%), Idaho (72.7%), Tennessee (72.4`%), Louisiana (71.9%), Indiana (713.`%), Mississippi (70.1)
The worsst percentage: Wyoming 69.1%..
Also reaching the benchmark are Guam (95.0%), Republic of Pau (95.0%), District of Columbia (95.0%), Puerto Rico (95.0), American Samoa (95.0%), Northern Mariana Islands (95.0%), Virgin Islands (76.8%), Federated States of Micronesia (72.5%).
The CDC is now listing percentages for those 5 and older: In Florida one shot 16,680,250 (81.9%) and fully vaccinated 14,064,658 (69.2%) in Florida.
For those 12 and older in Florida, 87.`% had at least one dose (16,190,301) and the complete series is 73.8% (13,794,286).
For the total population, the percentage is 77.6% (16,668,424) and the complete series is 65.5% (14,066,377).
The state considers fully vaccinated two doses for Pfizer and Moderna and one for Johnson & Johnson.
In boosters, 40.0% of adults in Florida (5,211,693) and 45.9% in the United States (91,095,482) have been vaccinated.