WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida broke the record for deaths increase in one day, 173, tying Texas for No. 1 in the nation, as cases increased by 10,249 after two days of four digits, and the daily positive rate increased 2.5 percentage points to 16.12, the Florida Health Department announced Thursday.
Palm Beach County's deaths increased by 18 to 727, a total that is the second highest in the state, after 18 Wednesday, 16 Tuesday and a record 21 Friday. On the Treasure Coast, St. Lucie rose by a record 7 to 94, Martin climbed by 4 to 58 and Indian River increased by 3 to 31. Okeechobee reported its first two deaths one week ago Saturday.
The state's increase in deaths broke the record of 156 seven days ago. Wednesday's increase was 139, after 134 Tuesday. Other triple-digit days were 128 Friday, 132 July 13, 112 July 15 and 120 July 9.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, the toll has climbed to 5,518 of residents into eighth place in the U.S. The number of nonresident deaths remained at 114 for a total death count of 5,632.
State and county increases represent deaths received by the state Sunday 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 was 104 on July 8.
The state's list of deaths and cases noted 174 deaths were added since Wednesday and 1 resident was removed because it was "ruled out" as coronavirus-related for a net increase of 173.
Palm Beach County increased by 89 deaths in one week. Miami-Dade climbed to 1,354, which was an increase of 12 in one day and 108 in one week. Broward increased by 7 to 536 and 72 over over 7 days.
In South Florida, there were 51 of the 173 deaths reported Thursday for a total of 2,802 for 50.8 percent though the population only comprises 30 percent.
Pinellas is in fourth place with 364, a rise of 22 and Hillsborough is at 278 with an increase of 18. Lee has 247, which increased by 3.
Texas tied with Florida for the most deaths after setting a state record with 197 Wednesday and is 10th overall. No. 4 California was third with a record 157.
In cases, Florida was second behind California with a record 12,040. California has the most cases in the nation followed by New York and Florida.
Since the first two cases were announced four months ago on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 1.8 percent of the state's 21.48 million population at 389,868.
On Sunday, July 5, cases surpassed 200,000 in Florida. One week go Wednesday, cases passed 300,000.
Cases rose by 74,094 over one week for 23.5 percent.
For two days the cases were under 10,000 – Wednesday's was 9,785 and Tuesday's was 9,440. 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.
Cases have hit five digits 14 times, all within the past few weeks. The 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.
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 3,215,185, fourth in the nation, behind No. 1 New York, No. 2 California and No. 3 Texas. That Florida figure is 15.0 percent of Florida's population.
The overall positive rate was a record 12.13 compared with 12.02 Wednesday.
A few weeks ago the daily rate was around 2-3 percent but has risen to 16.12 percent of 93,644 coronavirus or anti-bodies tests reported by labs Wednesday after 13.51 the day before with 102,184, a record 20.71 percent of 51,686 on July 8 when there were 51,686 tests. The lowest over two weeks was 12.89 percent on July 12.
The record test total was 142,964 July 11.
The daily percentages for all tests include 18.5 in Miami-Dade, 14.1 in Broward, 11.3 in Palm Beach, 14.7 in Martin, 20.3 in Okeechobee, 7.7 in Indian River and 14.4 in St. Lucie. Palm Beach reached as high as 16.1 over two weeks on July 13. And Miami-Dade's highest was 26.4 on July 8. The state's target rate is less than 10.0 percent.
The state reported 12.23 percent of people who tested for the first time were positive on tests received Wednesday compared with 10.5 the day before, which was the lowest in two weeks, and 12.84 two weeks ago.
With more testing and no requirements for someone to take a test, the median age is at 40, but 41 for tests reported Wednesday. In addition, the state mortality rate has subsided to 1.4 percent among residents but among those under 55 it is less than 0.2 percent.
And at one time, 22,644 have been hospitalized, which is an increase of 401 in one day, compared with 463 the day before.
Cases
In Palm Beach County, new cases were 761 compared with 555 the day before. The record was 1,171 July 5 for a total of 28,267 including residents and nonresidents.
Miami-Dade's cases increased 2,723 compared with 3,788 the day before, and Broward at 1,263 vs. 1,170 in the Treasure Coast area, the rise was 108 in St. Lucie, 64 in Martin, 50 in Indian River and 76 in Okeechobee.
In one week, Palm Beach County has risen by 4,556 cases for a 19.2 percent gain. Miami-Dade has risen by 19,645 at 26.0 percent and Broward by 8,181 at 23.0 percent.
Over seven days, Martin County climbed by 329 cases for 11.0 percent, St. Lucie County rose by 703 for 21.3 percent, Indian River County by 338 for 23.6 percent and Okeechobee by 173 for 29.0 percent.
Deaths
Deaths rose by 841 in the state over seven days for 18.0 percent and in Palm Beach County it was 89 for 13.9 percent. Recently, the state increase was in the 200s. The U.S. figure is 4.3 percent with the world at 6.4 percent.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 21 states, including Nevada at 709 with a gain of 7 and Kentucky at 684 with 7 more.
Deaths
Deaths rose by 824 in the state over seven days for 18.2 percent and in Palm Beach County it was 75 for 11.8 percent. Recently, the state increase was in the 200s. The U.S. figure is 4.4 percent with the world at 6.4 percent.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 21 states, including Nevada at 704 with a gain of 28 and Kentucky at 677 with 3 more.
The state on Thursday identified 18 fatalities in Palm Beach County: 11 men ranging from 44 to 97, with the oldest becoming a case on April 23 and seven women ranging from 61 to 90. St. Lucie's deaths were four women (70, 72, 77, 91), three men (69, 84, 89) and sex of a 86-year-old not reported. Martin's were men 77 and 93, and women 47 and 67. Indian River reported women 89 and 95 and a man, 92.
Tests
Palm Beach County has 28,267 cases out of 227,538 total tested for 12.4 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 95,068 positive cases out of 535,356 tested for 17.8 percent, and Broward is second with 45,010cases and 343,039tested for 13.1 percentage.
In Martin County, it's 3,314 of 22,668 for 14.6 percent. In St. Lucie, it's 4,004 positive out of 34,605 for 11.6 percent, Indian River with 1,767 out of 21,914 for 8.1 percent and Okeechobee with 770 out of 5,534 for 13.9 percent.
Mortality rate
The mortality rate, which compares positive cases against deaths, has been trending down in the state.
It is 1.4 percent in the state for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 3.5 percent in the United States and 4.1 percent worldwide, which neared 636,000 deaths and passed 15.6 million cases Thursday.
Palm Beach County's rate was 2.6 percent, compared with Broward at 1.2 percent and Miami-Dade with 1.4 percent. With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 2.3 percent in St. Lucie, 1.8 percent in Martin, 1.8 percent in Indian River and 0.3 percent in Okeechobee.
Florida has 257 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 445 per million. New York, which represents less than one-quarter of the deaths in the nation, has 1,679 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 81.6 per million.
Age breakdown
The youngest deaths are a 9-year-old girl from Putnam identified Wednesday 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 13 deaths in the 15-24 class with one more from the day before, which was no change. They include a 20-year-old male and two 22-year-old females from Broward, a 16-year-old girl from Lee, a 17-year-old boy from Pasco County and a 22-year-old woman from Palm Beach County.
Thirty-six people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with one addition.
A total of 1,895 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 56 in one day.
Ninety-two percent of the fatalities are 55 and older and 62 percent 75 and older. 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 6,324 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 175, and 116 were hospitalized, which was an increase of 2. From ages 5-14, there are 14,106 13,645, an increase of 461 with 90 in the hospital at one time, which went up by 2.
From the infant to 54 age group, 281,890 of the 385,091 residents have tested positive. But in that group, 406 have died, increase of 6, for a 0.14 death percentage.
From infant to 65, there are 330,457 cases. A total of 953 have died, an increase of 32, for a 0.29 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 6,965 6,757, an increase of 208. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, rose 120 to 5,179, followed by Boynton Beach at 2,471 from 2,400, Boca Raton at 3,610, up from 3,492, Delray Beach at 1,896 from 1,829. A total of 538 in the county not designated by a city.
Port St. Lucie leads the Treasure Coast with 2,370 increase of 37, followed by Stuart with 1,629 vs. 1,603.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, increased by 3 to 314, compared with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 22,644 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 19,825 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 2,391 in Palm Beach County, an increase of 28 compared with 24 the day before; 286 in Martin, an increase of 4; 274 in St. Lucie with an increase of 3, Indian River rose by 1 to 124 and Okeechobee remained at 66
Long-term care
Nearly half of the deaths, 2,557 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 301 in Palm Beach County. The state increase was 62 and in Palm Beach County it was 7.
National
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the toll has risen to 147,333, including an increase of 1,150 after 1,205 Wednesday and 1,165 Tuesday.
The increase Wednesday is the highest since 1,233 on May 29.
Johns Hopkins reports 144,233 deaths.
Cases reached 4,169,991, with an increase of 69,116. They have exceeded 70,000 five times.
Last Thursday in the U.S., there were 963 more deaths and 73,388 more cases reported.
The one week U.S. death increase was 6,215 at 4.4 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation with 32,656, including 39 more Thursday after a high of 799 in April.
Among other states in the top 10: No. 2 New Jersey with 23, No. 3 Massachusetts with no data, No. 5 Illinois 20, No. 6 Pennsylvania 28, No. 7 Michigan 6, No. 9 Connecticut 4.
Other top gainers were No. 15 Arizona with 89, No. 24 South Carolina with 49 and No. 13 Georgia with 25. Washington, which was the original epicenter in the United States, is in 21th place with an additional 12.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 18.2 percent of the 6,309 additional deaths Thursday -– and 23.2 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total. The one week world death increase was 38,454 at 6.4 percent.
Cases increased by 275,989, behind the record 279,857 Wednesday.
Brazil, which is second behind the United States for deaths, reported a world-high 1,317 deaths for a total of 84,207. The record is 1,492 on June 4. Brazil added 58,080 cases for a total of 2,289,951 – more than half as many as No. 1 U.S.
Mexico reported 718 more deaths late Thursday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4. Mexico is in fourth place with a total of 41,908. In addition, there were a record 8,438 cases.
India added 766 deaths after a record 1,120 the day before to rise to 30,645 and into sixth place, passing France. The Asian nation also reported a record 48,446 for a third-place total of 1,288,130 behind the U.S. and Brazil.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom's deaths decreased from 79 to 53 for third place with 45,554. The daily high was 1,172. No. 5 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported 10 deaths, among the lowest. No. 7 France gained 7 deaths and No. 8 Spain 2.
No. 9 Peru had 199 and No. 10 Iran 221.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 795,037, including an additional 5,848. The nation gained 147 deaths for 11th place.
No. 14 Canada added 4 deaths for a total of 8,874 as well as 432 cases.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity," reported 10 deaths for a total of 5,676 in 20th and 53 cases. Neighboring Norway, which had a lockdown, reported no deaths for the fourth day in a row to remain at 255 as well as 26 more cases.
No. 23 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 21 cases Friday.