WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's coronavirus cases rose by 3,449, the second day in a row more than 3,000, and new deaths dipped under triple digits, a U.S.-high 94, as the total fatality toll passed 16,000 including nonresidents, the Florida Department of Health announced Friday. Also, the state's first-time daily positivity rate dropped significantly to 4.38 percent with Palm Beach County remaining under 4 percent.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, which is 224 days, the death toll has reached 15,830, with an average of 71 per day, with the total including nonresidents 16,030, which increased by 4 to 200.
The number of deaths in the past week, 644, is 22 more than the previous week.
Infections in Florida are showing an upward trend like in 31 other states in the nation.
In one week, cases have risen by 19,516, which averages 2,788 per day, at 2.7 percent. One week ago, the increase was 17,117 at 2.4 percent.
Infections climbed by 3,356 Thursday, 2,908 last Friday and 3,573 on Sept. 19, the most since then. The last time cases were more than 4,000 was 4,684 on Aug. 22.
Florida's first-time daily infection rate of tests reported to labs was four-fifths of a percentage point lower than 5.18 percent the day before. The two-week low of 3.75 was Oct. 3 and the high of 5.38 two days ago not including a data dump over the weekend. Palm Beach County's rate decreased to 3.37 percent from 3.81, a two-week high two days ago of 4.56, not including the data dump, and four days ago at 1.88, which was the lowest since 1.5 percent on May 19. The previous low was 2.14 on Sept. 27.
The state's total daily positivity rate for all tests was 5.32 percent on 84,507 tests received Thursday after 6.69 on 69,927 tests. The highest percentage was 9.23 percent six days ago and the lowest 4.43 five days ago. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27 and the record test total was 142,964 July 11. Palm Beach County had 169 positive tests.
In the state, fatalities rose by 141 Thursday and 118 last Friday.
The one-day increase of 164 Thursday, Oct. 8 was the most since 174 on Wednesday, Sept. 30. The record was 276 deaths on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
It took 12 days for the death toll to pass 15,000 residents Oct. 15, nine days to surpass 14,000 and eight to go past 12,000.
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. Nearly three month ago, July 20, there were 5,075 deaths.
State and county increases represent fatalities received by the state Thursday 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: 58 each on Sept. 16 and 22.
In the state report Friday, 97 deaths were added with 3 cases changed for a net increase of 94.
Palm Beach County's death toll increased by 6 to 1,478, third highest in the state behind Miami-Dade and Broward, after an increase of 7 the day before. On the Treasure Coast, St. Lucie rose by 4 to 315, Martin remained at 153, Indian River climbed by 1 to 122. Okeechobee remained at 37 deaths with its first two fatalities on July 25.
Broward increased by 8 and Miami-Dade by 19.
With a net increase of 38 deaths in South Florida of the 94 state total, which is 40.4 percent, there are 7,125, which is 45.0 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
Cases have been trending up this week.
Monday's increased cases were 1,533 but it rose to 2,725 Tuesday, then 2,883 Wednesday and more than 3,000 the past two days. One Monday ago, Sept. 29, the 738 cases were fewest since June 2 when there were 617 additional infections. Then, they then increased to 3,266 on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Florida's total of 748,437 cases is nearly 10 percent of the total infections in the U.S. though the state only comprises 6.5 percent of the population.
On Sunday, Sept. 27, cases passed 700,000 after surpassing 600,000 more than one month ago, Aug. 23.
Palm Beach County's daily cases increased by 178 after 159. On Sept. 28, the rise was 27.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 169 compared with 211 the day before. The state reported Friday there are currently 2,086 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which is 36 less than Wednesday.
Deaths
Florida is in fifth place in the United States in fatalities. On June 16, Florida was in 11th place in the nation.
Texas is in second place with the addition of 91 deaths after a state-record 324 on Aug. 11, for a total of 16,903. California reported 73 and is in third place with 16,830, which is 71 behind Texas. New Jersey, which had been second throughout the pandemic, is in fourth place with 16,202, adding 5 fatalities.
Deaths rose by 644 in Florida over seven days (a daily average of 92) for 4.2 percent, a figure tally that had been more than 1,200 deaths recently. Before that, the one-week figure was in the mid 200s. Palm Beach County increased by 53 for 3.7 percent. The U.S. figure is 2.3 percent with the world at 3.4 percent.
Miami-Dade rose to 3,520 with 111 more in one week. Broward increased to 1,500 with an increase of 45 in one week. St. Lucie has gone up by 17 deaths in one week compared with Martin by 8, Indian River 3 and Okeechobee by 5.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 20 states, including Kentucky's 1,296 with no data reported Friday.
Pinellas increased by 1 to 793 deaths in fourth place and Hillsborough up by 4 to 738 in fifth place, Polk by 9 to 578 in sixth, Orange remained at 528 in seventh and Lee by 3 to 492.
On Friday, the state identified 6 deaths in Palm Beach County, 3 men (65, 82, 86) and 3 women (88, 89, 90). St. Lucie reported 2 men (84, 90) and 2 women (89, 92). Indian River's newly reported death was a 78-year-old woman.
Cases
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 3.5 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 748,437, third in the nation and fifth in cases per million. The average over 229 days is 3,268 per day.
California has the most cases in the U.S. at 861,476 with 3,075. Texas had a U.S.-high 5,682 and is second overall with 815,678. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 481,107, with an additional 1,707. Two Midwest state reported record cases: Illinois with 4,554 in fifth overall and Wisconsin with 3,861 in 15th.
In Palm Beach County, new cases have been much lower since the record 1,171 July 5. The total now is 48,674, including residents and nonresidents.
Miami-Dade's cases were 530 compared with 538 the day before and Broward's increase was 331 vs. 226. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day, Martin was 22 vs. 13 the day before, St. Lucie 35 vs. 43, Indian River 19 vs. 18 and Okeechobee 2 vs. 8.
Testing
Florida's total number of people tested is 5,680,917 which is 26.4 percent of the state's population behind No. 1 California, No. 2 New York, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Illinois. Florida is 10th in the nation in tests per million: 264,503.
The overall Florida positive rate was 13.17 percent from 13.18 the day before.
In Palm Beach County, the last time the first-time rate has been above 10.0 percent was 10.2 percent on Aug. 4.
Miami-Dade's rate was 4.11 percent compared with 5.06 the day before, a two-week high 6.02 on Oct. 5 not including the day of the data dump and a two-week low of 3.05 on Oct. 4. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was 3.96 percent after 3.81, a two-week high of 4.01 two days ago not including the data dump day and a two-week low of 2.08 on Oct. 4.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie's rate was a two-week high of 4.36 percent after 3.74 percent after a two-week high of 5.58 not including the data dump and a low of 2.36 Oct. 8 not including the day after the data dump. Martin's rate was a two-week high of 4.36 percent after 2.3 percent and a two-week low of 1.11 four days ago. Indian River's rate was 4.4 percent after 4.5, a two-week low of 2.06 three days ago, not including the data dump, and two-week high of 4.82 on Oct. 8. Okeechobee's rate was 1.47 percent on 134 negative tests after 8.99 on 81 negative tests, zero on 22 tests four days ago and a two-week high of 10.26 on Oct. 4, not including the data dump.
Palm Beach County has 48,674 cases out of 393,527 total tested for 12.37 percent overall, not including those awaiting tests and inconclusive.
Miami-Dade leads with 177,339 positive cases out of 978,990 tested for 18.11 percentage, and Broward is second with 80,443 cases and 608,773 tested for 13.21 percentage.
In Martin County, it's 5,137 of 40,109 for 12.81 percent. In St. Lucie, it's 8,521 out of 67,359 for 12.65 percent, Indian River with 3,495 of 39,617 for 8.82 percent and Okeechobee 1,660 of 11,775 for 14.1 percent.
Mortality rate
The mortality rate compares positive cases against deaths.
The state's rate was 2.1 percent for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 2.7 percent in the United States and 2.8 percent worldwide, which neared 1,109,000 deaths and passed 39.6 million cases Friday, according to Worldometers.info.
Palm Beach County's rate is 3.1 percent compared with Broward at 1.9 percent and Miami-Dade with 2.0 percent. With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 3.7 percent in St. Lucie, 3.0 in Martin, 3.5 percent in Indian River and Okeechobee 2.2 percent, which is the highest ever.
Florida has 737 deaths per 1 million people, which ranks 10th in the nation, compared with the U.S. average of 675 per million. New York, which represents 15.3 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,719 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 142.1 per million.
Age breakdown
Five deaths are among youths 14 and under, a 6-year-old from Hillsborough, a 9-year-year old from Putnam, two 11-year-olds, a boy in Miami-Dade and a girl in Broward, as well as a 12-year-girl from Duval.
Four other juveniles are among the 31 deaths in the 15-24 class, including a 16-year-old girl in Miami-Dade, a 16-year-old girl in Lee, a 17-year-old boy in Pasco and a 17-year-old boy in Manatee. This class didn't change.
Ninety-four people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with an increase of 2.
A total of 5,065 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 28 in one day.
Ninety-three percent of the fatalities are 55 and older and 61 percent are 75 and older. A smaller percentage of older people have tested positive – 28 percent age 55 and older and 7 percent 75 and older.
At the other end of the age spectrum, there are 12,602 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 54, and 303 were hospitalized, which went up by 1. From ages 5-14, there are 32,075, an increase of 195, with 282 in the hospital at one time, which did't change.
From the infant to 54 age group, there are 532,659 of the 739,050 residents' cases. In that group, 1,061 have died, with an increase of 9, for a 0.20 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 628,745 cases. A total of 2,810 have died, an increase of 22 for a 0.45 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 11,856 with an increase of 37. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, increased by 16 to 8,096, followed by Boca Raton at 7,247 up from 7,200, Boynton Beach went to 4,287 from 4,277 and Delray Beach at 3,321 vs. 3,310. A total of 1,289 in the county not designated by a city. In addition, the list of cities includes separate listings of misspellings and miscoded counties.
Port St. Lucie leads the Treasure Coast with 5,022, an increase of 19, followed by Fort Pierce at 2,924, up 6, and Stuart with 2,384, which rose by 9.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, increased by 1 to 421 compared with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 46,862 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 45,675 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 3,947 in Palm Beach County, with a increase of 17 compared with 22 the day before; 411 in Martin, which didn't change; St. Lucie at 735 with an increase of 11, Indian River stayed at 324 and Okeechobee remained at 188.
Long-term care
Forty-one percent of the deaths, 6,386 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 664 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 829 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 60 and Palm Beach County went up by 3.
Nation
Since the first death was reported six months ago on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 218,566, a rise of 874, according to Johns Hopkins. Worldometers.info has tabulated 223,644 deaths with an increase of 928.
Cases surpassed 8 million on Friday to 8,045,090.
For the past two days the daily increase have been more than 60,000 with 63,610 Thursday then 65,381 on Friday, the highest since 67,153 on July 31, according to Hopkins. They have exceeded 70,000 seven times, including a record 78,446 on July 24 and the last time was July 31.
Last Friday in the U.S., there were 990 more deaths and 57,420 cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 4,814 at 2.3 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation at 33,337, with Johns Hopkins reporting no increase after a high of 799 in April. Hopkins lists confirmed and probable deaths, with the latter not a positive case.
Among other states in the top 10 for deaths: No. 6 Massachusetts 30, No. 7 Illinois 52, No. 8 Pennsylvania 31, No. 9 Georgia 64 and No. 10 Michigan 15.
Also, No. 11 Arizona reported 17 deaths, as well as an additional 738 cases. No. 25 Washington, the original epicenter in the United States, reported 7.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 15.0 percent of 6,185 additional deaths Thursday and 20.2 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
The one week world death increase was 36,334 at 3.4 percent.
Last Friday's death increase was 5,833.
Cases increased by more than 400,000 the first time, 412,917,
surpassing the previous record of 397,183 one day earlier, according to Worldometers.info. The world has been gaining 1 million cases every three days.
Brazil, which is second behind the United States for deaths, reported 716 deaths to rise to 153,229. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 30,574 cases at 5,201,170 in third place.
India reported 63,371 cases, compared with a world-record 97,894, for second-place behind the U.S. with 7,370,468. Also, India recorded 895 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 112,161 and in third place.
Mexico announced 419 more deaths late Friday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 85,704 in fourth place.
Four European nations are in the top 10 as cases are surging at record levels and deaths are surging on the continent. The United Kingdom reported 136 additional deaths for 43,429 in fifth place with the record daily high 1,172, as well as 15,650, two days after a record 19,724. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported 55 deaths and a record 10,010 cases. Spain moved into seventh place by 127 ahead of Peru, reporting 222 deaths and 12,169 cases, behind the record 14,087 on Sept. 18. No. 9 France announced 178 as well as a record 25,086 cases one day after a 30,621.
No. 8 Peru announced 71 and leads France by 343. No. 10 Iran reported 265 deaths two days after a record 279.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 1,369,313, including a record 15,150. The nation gained 232 deaths one day after a record 288 and is in 13th.
No. 21 Canada reported 23 deaths for a total of 9,722 and 2,374 cases, three days after a record 4,042. Between May 26 and Aug. 30 cases were never more than 1,000.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" with no lockdown, reported 6 deaths and is at 5,918. Neighboring Norway reported no deaths to remain 278, as well as 65 more cases.
No. 32 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 13 cases Saturday.