WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Although every Florida county remains listed as "high" coronavirus transmission, South Florida's counties have shown declines in virtually all of their cases, hospitalizations and positivity rates though deaths, which lag sometimes weeks behind other data, have increased, according to data posted Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Also Tuesday, the CDC reported 35,266 new cases compared with 33,029 last week and the record 77,061 Jan. 8. Two days earlier 8,354 infections were reported, the least since 6,830 Dec. 15. Fatalities are 64,005 with a four-day increase of 433 and weekly of 549 (642 previous week) updated Monday.
Though South Florida's data declined, they are still several times above the minimum for cases per 100,000 of 100 or more and positivity rate of 10% or more in the "high" category. Of the South Florida counties, the positivity rates went down everywhere except slightly up in Indian River (34.89% from 34.3%) and Okeechobee (47.8% from 47.7%) with the latter's percentage the highest. Palm Beach County decreased to 25.99% from 29.74%.
The Florida Health Department considers 5% the target rate and the state is listed as more than 25%. In last week's state report, the percentage was 26.8%.
Hospitalizations also have decreased in every county except Martin where it went from 134 to 138. Palm Beach County dropped roughly in half from 1,201 to 604. In data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday, Florida's hospitalizations rose to 11,105 (19.94% of capacity) with coronavirus compared with 10,794 the day before though five days ago 11,839 (21.29%) was most since 12,651 Sept. 11. Total beds in use are 46,208 (81.59%).
The seven South Florida counties' deaths increased 308 in the past week vs. 203 one week earlier. Palm Beach County rose from 18 to 51. In all the county has 4,407 deaths, the third most in the state behind Miami-Dade at 9,565 and Broward at 51,47. Okeechobee reported no charge after one the week before.
The state is in third place behind California with 77,306, adding 17, and Texas with 76,123, gaining 154 in a day. New York is fourth with 63,824, adding a U.S.-high 305 in one day, among the most since the start of the pandemic.
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, 2020, Florida's infections have grown to 5,383,094, the third state to pass the 5 million milestone 10 days ago. It took 131 days to pass 4 million on Dec. 28, 145 days to pass 3 million on Aug. 19, 106 days to pass 2 million on March 27, 276 days to pass 1 million on Dec. 2, 2020.
Florida is third in cases behind California with 7,482,469, including the one-day U.S. record 143,380 14 days ago and Texas with 6,018,220 and a mark of 74,491 Jan. 13. New York is fourth with 4,710,302, including a record 90,132 Jan. 8 but only 12,484 Tuesday. On Tuesday California reported a U.S.-high 62,826 and Texas 45,056.
Florida has surpassed 70,000 cases four times with the last one two weeks ago.
Before the omicron variant emerged, the record was 27,664 amid the delta strain last summer.
Florida's seven-day moving average is 32,923, one day after 32,603, lowest since 32,054 Dec. 28. The record was 65,648 Jan. 11. On Nov. 27 the average was 1,224.
Florida 230,463 cases in the past week are third behind California's 757,398 and Texas' 382,720. Last week New York was fourth with
319,000, including 153,711 in the city and 165,289 elsewhere, but it has dropped overall to 160,954 with 88,749 in the city and 72,205 elsewhere. North Carolina is now fourth with 191,678, Michigan fifth at 184,311 and Illinois sixth at 175,461.
Twice a week the CDC revises new daily cases and deaths in data provided by the state. On other days deaths are only added of ones that occurred the previous day.
In the state report Friday, fatalities rose in one week from 470 to 604, the most since 664 Nov. 5, but far below the record of 2,448 during the delta surge on Sept. 10, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.
The total beds in use: 43,698 (82.0%). The previous day 260 hospitals reported.
In the U.S., hospitalizations declined to 150,178 (21.38%) from 150,984 the previous day with the record 160,113 four days day. 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. in covid hospitalizations with California first with 15,847 (25.05%), Texas second with 14,253 (23.68%), New York fourth with 10,669 (24.31%).
Florida reported 140,154 tests on Jan. 19, the most recent available day, with the record 270,459 Jan. 3.
Here is the breakdown of South Florida counties in the past week and posted Tuesday:
Palm Beach: cases 15,075 (26,866 last week), cases per 100,000 1,007.17 (11,794.93 last week), positivity 25.99% (29.74% last week), deaths 51 (18 last week), new hospitalizations 604 (1,201 last week).
Martin: cases 1,358 (2,497 last week), cases per 100,000 843.48 (1,550.93 last week), positivity 30.84% (35.95% last week), deaths 9 (8 last week), new hospitalizations 138 (134 last week).
St. Lucie: cases 4,290 (5,651 last week), cases per 100,000 1,306.74 (1,712.17 last week), positivity 35.99% (39.75% last week), deaths 11 (10 last week), new hospitalizations 194 (199 last week).
Indian River: cases 1,923 (2,254 last week), cases per 100,000 1,202.45 (1,409.43 last week), positivity 34.89% (34.3% last week), deaths 7 (5 last week), new hospitalizations 49 (57 last week).
Okeechobee: cases 588 cases (831 last week), cases per 100,000 1,394.42 (1,970.69 last week), positivity 47.8% (47.7% last week), deaths 0 (1 last week), new hospitalizations 22 (29 last week).
Broward: cases 23,063 (48,103 last week), cases per 100,000 1,181,04 (2,463.31 last week), positivity 24.35% (28.97% last week), deaths 80 (61 last week), new hospitalizations 935 (1,375 last week).
Miami-Dade: cases 46,959 (93,321 last week), cases per 100,000 1,728.38 (3,434.78 last week), positivity 24.04% (28.58% last week), deaths 151 (100 last week), new hospitalizations 1,638 (2,249 last week).
During the summer, Palm Beach County School District wanted two weeks of moderate transmission to end its mask mandate for students, which is one category below severe. The district achieved that in mid-November though the state has banned those requirements.
The state has banned mask mandates for students.