WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Florida Health Department won't release coronavirus data, including deaths, cases, positivity rates and vaccinations, throughout the Memorial Day weekend, the first time since the pandemic at least back-to-back days won't have information.
COVID-19 updates, including on its dashboard and daily reports, will resume on Tuesday with no reports on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Four other days information wasn't reported -- on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and Oct. 10 when there were data reporting problems.
The government of Palm Beach County, which has the third-most deaths in the state with 2,875, announced Friday it would no longer be giving daily coronavirus updates to the media or on social media.
Hospitalizations information was reported Saturday with the number dropping to 1,907 with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, a decrease of 95, the lowest total since data reported last July. It reached as high as 7,762 Jan. 14. The all-time high of 9,520 was on July 21In all, there are around 57,000 hospital beds in the state.
Florida was among 21 states not reporting death information Saturday.
Through Friday, Florida led the nation in cases for 33 of 37 days with the exception on four past Tuesdays, all by Texas.
On Friday, Florida coronavirus cases rose by a single-day U.S. high 2,338, the same as the U.S. high the day before, as deaths increased by 41 after 86 the day before.
State testing sites closed last week more than one year after they opened. Tests reported from labs Thursday were 92,368, one day after 86,880, with 111,602 six days ago with 142,547 on April 13. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27, the least since testing ramped up. The record was 262,798 Jan. 29.
The state's daily first-time positivity rate was 3.06 percent, the lowest since 2.54 June 6, one day after 3.18 percent, a two-week high of 4.54 May 17 and record 23.38 Dec. 28. Palm Beach County's rate was 3.47 percent, a day after 2.35 percent, the lowest since 1.89 Oct. 11, a two-week high 4.09 May 15.
The state's total daily positivity rate was 3.88 percent, the lowest since 3.7 June 6, two days after 4.06, a two-week high 6.30 May 16 and a record 26.34 Dec. 28.
Florida's cases reached 2,320,818, including 148,277 in Palm Beach County, with a rise of 158 with only No. 1 California, No. 2 Texas and No. 4 New York also reporting more than 2 million. California leads with more than 3 million.
It took 26 days to pass more than 100,000 on May 19 since 2.2 million on April 24 after 16 days from 2.1 million and 19 days from 2.0 million. The first 100,000 was on June 22, 3 1/2 months after the first time.
After the first two deaths in Florida were announced on March 6, which is 450 days, the death toll has reached 36,774, an average of 82 per day, and fourth in the nation behind No. 1 California, No. 2 New York and No. 3 Texas with the third-largest population. Florida's total including nonresidents is 37,512, which rose by 2 to 738.
It took 16 days to pass 36,000 from 35,000 two weeks ago Friday, and 18 to gain 100,000. It was 49 days for Florida's death toll of residents to reach the first 1,000 yet it was only 40 days to more than double. On July 20, there were 5,075 deaths.and 18,
Twice last week deaths rose by 94, including Friday. Deaths last hit triple digits on March 26 with 159. The record was 276 on Aug. 11.
Palm Beach County went to 2,875 with a record 32 Feb. 2. First-place Miami-Dade increased by 12 to 6,424 and Broward is second, rising by 2 to 3,069.
St. Lucie went to 654 from 651, Martin stayed at 330, Indian River at 305 and Okeechobee at 89 with its first two fatalities on July 25.
No. 4 Hillsborough County was 1,8`24 (1 increase), No. 5 Pinellas 1,667 (2 increase), No. 6 Duval 1,489 (10 increase), No. 7 Polk 1,378 (1 increase), No. 8 Orange 1,302 (2 increase), No. 9 Lee 1,004 (no change), No. 10 Marion 984 (no change)
With a net increase of 19 deaths in South Florida of the 56 state total, which is 46.3 percent there are 13,746 which is 37.4 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
The number of increased deaths over seven days is 333 an average of 48 and 0.9 percent, compared with 441 the previous week and more than 1,200 several weeks ago. Palm Beach County increased by 30 for seven days for 1.1 percent. The U.S. figure is 0.8 percent with the world at 2.3 percent.
Data traditionally are low on Monday, including 1,606 most recently, 1,976 one week ago, 2,296 two weeks ago and 3,075 three weeks before. On Sept. 29, the 738 cases were fewest since Tuesday, June 2 when there were 617 additional infections.
The last time cases were more than 3,000 was Saturday one week ago with 3,406.
The last time they were more than 7,000 was the 7,411 increase Saturday, April 24. On April 13 they rose by 9,068.
Cases increased by a record 19,816 on Thursday, Jan. 6. The most reported cases in one day were 20,015 from labs on Dec. 31. With no data released on New Year's Day, those results were part of a two-day total of 29,767 and an increase of 31,518.
Over seven days, cases have risen by 15,958 for an average of 2,280 at 0.7 percent. The previous week the increase was 18,657 for an average of 2,665. The average since the first case was reported March 1, 2020, is 5,112 per day in 454 days.
Florida's cases are 7.0 percent of the total infections in the U.S. and 6.2 percent of the deaths. The state comprises 6.5 percent of the U.S. population.
Since the first two cases were announced nine months ago on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 10.8 percent of the state's 21.48 million population, 18th in cases per million. In cases per 100,000 for seven days, Florida is fifth at 73.0 with Washington state No. 1 at 103.1 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Virgin Islands was highest at 117.5.
State and county increases represent fatalities received by the state and not the number of deaths that occurred then. The day someone dies and when it is received by the state can lag for several days. The most deaths the past month: 56 each on May 7.
TESTING
Florida is fifth in total tests at 24,118,315 behind No. 1 California, No. 2 New York, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Illinois, according to Johns Hopkins. Some people have taken more than one test.
First-time positivity rates:
Palm Beach County's rate was 1.92 on Oct. 11, which was the smallest since 1.5 percent on May 19.
Miami-Dade: two-week low 1.96 percent percent (day ago 2.76, two-week high 3.84 May 14). The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward: two-week low 2.01 percent (day ago 2.16, two-week high 3.5 May 14).
St. Lucie: 3.87 percent (day ago 5.3, two-week low 3.34 four days ago, two-week high 7.61 May 15). Martin: 3.54 percent (day ago 3.15, two-week low 2.31 two days ago, two-week high 11.11 seven days). Indian River: 3.21 percent (day ago 4.03, two-week high 5.45 May 14, two-week low 2.38 five days ago). Okeechobee: 5.0 percent on 76 negative tests (day ago 3.88 on 124 negative tests, two-week low 1.92 on 51 negative tests four days, two-week high 20.83 on 95 negative tests six days ago).
NATION
Deaths
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, 2020, the national toll has risen to 594,306 Saturday (343 increase, seven days ago 481, record 4,474 Jan. 12). One week increase: 4,603 (0.8 percent).
Top-ranked states: No. 1 California 61,999 (minus 26 in data revision, U.S.-record 1,114 increase, including 806 from Los Angeles County dating from Dec. 3, past record record 764). No. 2 New York 53,269 (14 increase, record 799). No. 3 Texas 50,3403 (42 increase, record 471). No. 5 Pennsylvania 27,200 (17 increase, record 405).
Others in top 10: No. 6 New Jersey 16 increase, No. 7 Illinois 37, No. 8 Georgia 17, No. 9 Michigan U.S.-high 49, No. 10 Ohio no data.
Also with at least 50: None. Also: No. 12 Arizona 19, No. 11 Massachusetts 9, No. 31 Washington, the original epicenter in the U.S., no data.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 16 states, including West Virginia 2,792.
Cases
Total 33,251,939 Saturday (11,976 increase, least since 11,240 March 23, 2020, seven days ago 19,778, record 299,786 Jan. 2). No state had at least 2,000 cases.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 California 3,683,300 (U.S.-high 1,210, U.S.-record 53,711). No. 2 Texas 2,943,316 (1,081 increase, record 29,310 confirmed cases). No. 4 New York 2,083,911 (870 increase, record 19,942). No. 5 Illinois 1,381,063 (802 increase, record 15,415).
Worldwide
Deaths: 3,548,182 Saturday (10,889 increase, seven days ago 11.,126, record 17,367 Jan. 20). The U.S. represented 3.2 percent of increase and overall 17.2 though its population is only 4.3 of the global total. One-week increase: 78,176 (2.3 percent).
Cases: 170,618,128 (491,161 increase, seven days ago 582,401, record 904,792). India accounted for 35.4 percent percent of the daily deaths.
No. 2 Brazil: Deaths 461,142 (1,971 increase, record 4,211). Cases 16,461,600 (78,943 increase, record 97,586).
No. 3 India: Deaths 322,512 (3,617 increase, world record 4,529). Cases 27,729,247 (173,790 increase, world record 414,188 May 7).
No. 4 Mexico: Deaths 223,445 (387 increase, one-day record 1,803). Cases 2,411,503 (2,725 increase, record 22,339).
Europe: 1,196 new deaths, 49,590 new cases. Five nations in top 10.
No. 5 United Kingdom: Deaths 127,775 (7 increase, record 2,396). Cases 4,480,945 (3,398 increase, record 68,053).
No. 6 Italy: Deaths `126,002 (83 increase, record 993). Cases 3,351 increase, record 40,896.
No. 7 Russia: Deaths 120,807 (401 increase, record 635). Cases 5,053,748 (9,289 increase, record 29,935).
No. 8 France: Deaths 109,358(68 increase, record 1,437). Cases 5,657,572 (10,675 increase, record 88,790 Nov. 7).
No. 9 Germany: Deaths 89,008 (124 increase, record 1,244). Cases 4,513 increase, record 32,546.
Also, No. 11 Spain: Deaths 79,905 (no data Saturday, 17 increase Friday, record 996). Cases 5,482 increase Friday, record 44,357. No. 14 Poland: Deaths 73,682 (125 increase, record 954). Cases 775 increase, record 37,596. No. 17 Ukraine: Deaths 50,388 (156 increase, record 481). Cases 3,096 increase, record 20,341.
No. 10 Colombia: 87,747 deaths (540 increase, third in world behind India, Brazil, record 505). Cases 20,594 increase, record 21,078.
Others
No. 12 Iran: 79,741 deaths (173 increase, record 496). Cases 7,107 increase, record 25,582.
No. 13 Argentina: 77,108 deaths (415 increase, fourth behind Brazil, India, Colombia, record 692. Cases 29,841 increase, record 39,652.
No. 16 South Africa: 56,363 deaths (70 increase, record 839. Cases 4,519 increase, record 21,980.
No. 24 Canada: Deaths 25,478 (38 increase, record 257). Cases 2,459 increase, record 11,383.
No. 36 Japan: Deaths 12,944 (91 increase, record 216). Cases: 3,596 increase, record 7,882.
No. 61: China: Deaths 4,636 (reported one death Jan. 26 and another one week earlier after announcing only one since April 27, 2020, new verification on May 17). Cases: 11 increase Sunday.
No. 86 South Korea: Deaths 1,957 (6 increase Sunday, record 40). Cases: 479 increase, record 701.
