WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's coronavirus deaths' increase nearly doubled in one week to 1,192, the most since mid-October, but three other key indicators are slowing amid the omicron variant: cases' rise declined 34.9% to 197,768, the lowest in one month, with 30,606 reported most recently, the positivity rate dropped to 23.5% from a record 29.3% with Palm Beach County declining to 19.7%%, still way above 5.0% target.
And hospitalizations are 9,868, which is a decrease of 419 the day before and the least since 9,099 Jan. 9 with 11,839 Jan. 19, the most since 12,651 Sept. 11 and more than half from the record 17,295 in the summer during the delta surge. 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 64,955, which is third in the nation with 82% of the increase, 977, those 65 and older. The weekly increased deaths, which are the most since 1,252 Oct. 15, about half of the record of 2,448 during the delta surge on Sept. 10, according to data from the Florida Department of Health. Three weeks ago the increase was 184, among the lowest since the pandemic.
For comparison purposes, 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 5,478,671 behind California with 7,706,395 and Texas with 6,122,432. The increase is the least since 124,861 Dec. 24.
Florida passed 5 million on Saturday, 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.
Two weeks ago the first-time positivity rate rate dropped for the first time in four week after a record 31.3%. It was 2.6% seven weeks 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 24.8% compared with 23.2% the week earlier.
The state reported 20% of youths 5-11 have been vaccinated, up from 19% the week earlier. The state listed vaccination data for those 5-11 is 335,097 compared with 322,957 one week earlier. More than seven of eight adults (88.5%) have at least one vaccination shot and those 12 and older at 86.6%.
The state reported there are 36 deaths under 16 (rise of two) and 773,427 cases (716,210 previous week) and 16-29 there have been 454 deaths (increase of seven) and 1,229,204 cases (1,194,955 previous week). At the other extreme, for 65 and older there are 48,590 deaths (47,613 previous week), which is 74.8% of total and 692,789 cases (663,333 previous week), which is 12.6% of total.
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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 new daily cases record was 77,056 posted on Jan. 9. Three other time 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 46 days ago the daily increase was 1,947. Seven 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 20 weeks ago.
Last week the weekly increase was 298,638 and two 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.
The seven-day moving average is 28,392, the lowest since 27,509 Jan. 8 with the record 65,644 Jan. 11. On Sunday, 8,355 infections were reported, the fewest since 6,830 Dec. 15.
The new cases in the state over one week were 198,719, one week after 299,204, two weeks after record 430,095 and nine 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 have 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: 426 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 18 weeks ago, deaths had surpassed 2,000 four weeks in a row: 2,340 after 2,468, 2,448, 2,345.
The state listed 206 deaths occurred in the past week with 140 the previous week and 433 17 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 in South Florida went down. Okeechobee is the highest in the area at 34.6% with five counties in the state above 40%: Union 42.3%, Calhoun 41.6%, Liberty 40.8%, Washington 40.7%, Bay 40.2%
Palm Beach County: Cases: 348,041 residents (8,641 new, 26,918 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 19.7% (24.8% past week, 6.5% six weeks ago).
St. Lucie County: Cases: 69,337 residents (2,498 new, 4,244 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 29.6% (past week 35.9%, six weeks ago 3.5%).
Martin County: Cases: 29,554 residents (1,139 new, 1,479 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 26.7% (30.3% previous week, six weeks ago 3.8%).
Indian River County: Cases: 30,194residents (1,275 new, 1,929 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 23.2% (previous week 31.6%, 3.4% six weeks ago).
Okeechobee County: 10,103 residents (416 new, 612 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 34.6% (previous week 41.1%, 2.1% six weeks ago).
Broward County: Cases: 573,312 residents (6,123 new, 23,153 past week). First-time positivity in past week: 15.5% (previous week 21.3%, 6.9% six weeks ago).
Miami-Dade County: 1,121,486 residents (23,596 new, 47,414 past week). First-daily positivity in past week: 14.8% (previous week 20.2%, 7.0% six weeks ago).
Tests
Florida has reported 51,177,123 tests through Jan. 21 with California No. 1 at 115,676,967. Some people have taken more than one test.
In one week, there were 857,109 tests, which is 122,444 daily. The daily record for tests was 270,924 on Jan. 3 with the most recent Jan. 14 at 122,936.
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 64 and older but less than 1% in younger ages except 1.8% for 60-64. It is 1.2% in the United States and 1.5% worldwide.
In deaths per million, Florida is 3,010 (18th in nation), U.S. 2,734, world 727.2. Mississippi is first at 3,639, Arizona second at 3,572, New Jersey third 3,526, Alabama fourth 3,477. New York, which had been second for most of the pandemic behind New Jersey, is now sixth at 3,336, behind Louisiana at 3,362.
Florida's deaths are 7.5% of the total in the U.S. total and 7.5% 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 25.5% 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 42nd among states at 925.4 (one week after 38th) with Alaska No. 1 at 2,360.4, Washington second at 1,907.3, Kentucky third at 1,897.2, Oklahoma fourth at 1,839.1, West Virginia fifth at 1,809.3. Among territories, Palau is first at 5,489.5 and Guam second at 2,713.5.
On Friday, California reported a U..S.-high 76,729 cases, behind the national record 143,290 Jan. 11.
New York reported 13,592 cases Friday compared with the record 90,132 Jan. 8 and is fourth overall at 4,757,718.
Texas gained 38,682 cases, after a record 75,917 Jan. 11.
These are other records recently, according to WPTV research and in order of cumulative cases: Illinois 44,089, Pennsylvania 33,650, Ohio 26,117, Georgia 26,033, North Carolina 44,833, Michigan 23,460, New Jersey 33,469, Tennessee 22,188, Arizona 27,681, Massachusetts 30,805, Indiana 17,661, Virginia 26,186, Wisconsin 19,783, Missouri 18,708, South Carolina 23,319, Minnesota 26,758, Colorado 22,058, Washington 41,000 (backlog), Alabama 17,106, Louisiana 18,345, Kentucky 15,864, Maryland 17,252, Oklahoma 14,913, Utah 13,551, Iowa 9,572, Arkansas 14,494, Connecticut 10,602, Kansas 11,120, Mississippi 9,300, Nevada 7,382, Oregon 10,947, New Mexico 8,830, Nebraska 7,220, West Virginia 6,500, Idaho 4,537, Rhode Island 6,731, New Hampshire 5,511, Delaware 4,493, Montana 5,001, South Dakota 2,708, North Dakota 3,120, Alaska 3,250, Maine 2,148, Hawaii 6,252, Wyoming 2,504, Vermont 2,975.
The U.S. overall reported a record 572,524 cases Thursday with the record 1,334,860 Jan. 10, according to the CDC.
World figures are also skyrocketing, including record 3,779,125 Jan. 20, according to Worldometers.info. These are the records since the omicron spike: France 501,635, Brazil 257,319, Italy 228,179, Britain 218,724, Germany 189,464, Spain 161,688, Australia 153,968, Argentina 134,439, Russia 98,040, Turkey 93,586, Japan 81,810, 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 78,825, adding a daily-high 254 Friday with Texas second at 77,780 with an additional 225. New York gained 231, for a total of 65,516 in fourth.
Hospitalizations
The record low is 1,228 Nov. 29 with the highest 17,295 Aug. 29.
Of the 261 hospitals reporting, 17.66% of the available beds are occupied with coronavirus patients. The total beds in use: 49,237 (82.63%). The previous day 256 hospitals reported.
In the U.S.. hospitalizations dropped to 144,944 (18.92%), eight days after a record 160,113. 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 15,360 (22.94%), Texas second with 14,543 (21.15%), New York fourth with 9,009 (18.93%),
Vaccinations
In state vaccination data from the CDC, 88.5% of Florida's population 18 and older (0.3% increase in week) has had at least one dose (15,264,712) and 75.1% fully vaccinated (12,950,995). 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 86.8%. Totally vaccinated is 74.0%. Boosters for those eligible 18 and older: 44.3%.
In addition, the CDC is now capping percentages at 95%.
Forty-eight states achieving the 70% standard (Indiana added in past week) 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 (94.5%), North Carolina (94.3%), Virginia (94.2%), Pennsylvania (93.9), Delaware (92.1%), California (91.5%, drop from 95%), Washington (89.9%), Florida (88.5%), Colorado (88.1%), South Dakota (88.0%), Oregon (86.0%), Kansas (85.5%), Nevada (85.4%), Illinois (85.3%), Minnesota (84.3%), Utah (84.3%), Oklahoma (83.1%), Texas (82.0%), Nebraska (81.0%), Wisconsin (80.8%), Arizona (80.8), Alaska (80.1%), Iowa (78.2%), South Carolina (76.9%), North Dakota (76.5%), Arkansas (76.4%), Kentucky (76.0%), Missouri (75.6%), Georgia (75.5%), Michigan (75.3%), Montana (74.0%), West Virginia (73.6%), Alabama (73.0%), Ohio (72.6%), Idaho (72.1%), Tennessee (71.7%), Louisiana (71.4%), Indiana (71.7%).
The two worst percentages: Wyoming 68.1%, Mississippi at 69.6%.
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 (75.4%), Federated States of Micronesia (71.3%).
The CDC is now listing percentages for those 5 and older: In Florida one shot 16,546,696 (81.4%) and fully vaccinated 13,951,692 (68.6%) in Florida.
For those 12 and older in Florida, 86.6% had at least one dose (16,195,359) and the complete series is 73.4% (13,715,881).
For the total population, the percentage is 77.1% (16,554,812) and the complete series is 65.0% (13,953,387).
The state considers fully vaccinated two doses for Pfizer and Moderna and one for Johnson & Johnson.
In boosters, 39.0% of adults in Florida (5,057,142) and 44.3% in the United States (81,220,867) have been vaccinated.
