WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's new coronavirus deaths increased by 120, compared with 225 day, and the state dropped a spot to seventh overall when Texas reported 306 deaths to also pass lllinois into fifth. Cases remained under 8,000 for the fifth day in row but a U.S. high, 7,650, the Florida Department of Health announced Thursday.
Total daily tests surpassed 100,000 for the first time in six days as state sites opened Tuesday after being closed since Friday. The daily positive rate declined from 13.96 to 11.67 – the lowest in two days. The previous three days' total tests were the lowest in two weeks: 57,272 after 56,532, 60,993. The two-week high was 120,667 on July 24.
In addition, the positivity rate for first time cases dropped to a 8.34 percent, the lowest since 7.7 percent on June 21.
Palm Beach County's fatalities increased by 10 after a record-tying 21 to 892, which is second in the state behind Miami-Dade.
On the Treasure Coast, St. Lucie rose by 7 after a county record 11 to 148. Martin rose by 3 to 87, Indian River went up 1 to 51 and Okeechobee also increased by 1 to 7. Miami-Dade climbed by 9 and Broward's number was lowered by 1.
Texas again led the nation in newly reported deaths and 7 less than the record 313 last week. California reported 166 new deaths, after a state-record 202 Wednesday, and is in third place overall.
On Thursday, Florida represented 13.1 percent of the cases and 9.8 percent of the deaths.
New hospitalizations rose by 558 compared with 621 the day before.
Cases
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 2.4 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 510,389, second in the nation. In one week, cases have risen by 49,010 at 10.6 percent.
The number of cases have skyrocketed the past few months as cases passed 50,000 Wednesday. On May 23, there were 50,127 cases. They surpassed 100,000 on June 22, 200,000 on July 5, 300,000 on July 15 and 400,000 on July 24.
California is in first place overall with 529,980 cases, including the addition of 5,258, which was third highest in the nation Wednesday. Texas was second with 7,598 cases, just 52 behind Florida and is third overall behind Florida with 467,485. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 418,928 with 703 more.
Because of the impending arrival of Tropical Storm Isaias, most state testing sites were closed Friday through Monday with Sunday always closed.
Wednesday's case increase was 5,409 after Tuesday's 5,446, Monday's 4,752 and Sunday's 7,104 , which at the lowest since 6,336 on July 6 after the Independence Day weekend. Last Saturday's rise was 9,642.
The previous lowest since 3,286 on June 23.
The last time there were cases more than 10,000 was Saturday, July 26 rise of 12,299.
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.
The cases 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. The second highest is 13,965 on July 16.
In Palm Beach County, new cases were 454 compared with 354 the day before. The record was 1,171 July 5 for a total of 35,737, including residents and nonresidents.
Miami-Dade's cases increased 1,728 compared with 1,190 the day before, and Broward at 704 vs. 401. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day was 116 in St. Lucie, 33 in Martin, 39 in Indian River and 14 in Okeechobee.
Deaths
Five times deaths surpassed 200. The state death record of 257 was set last Friday after 225 Wednesday, 245 Tuesday, 252 last Thursday, 216 one week ago Wednesday.
Deaths were lower from weekend data. On Monday, they rose a U.S. high-73 and 62 on Sunday. There were back-to-back days of 77 the previous Sunday and Monday. The previous lowest death increase was 35 on July 13.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, the toll has climbed to 7,747 and in seventh place in the nation. Illinois is in seventh place at 7,791 with an increase of 21.
On June 16, Florida was in 11th place.
Nonresidents' deaths remained 124 with a total death count of 7,871.
Florida's deaths have hit triple digits all within the past few weeks.
State and county increases represent fatalities received by the state Wednesday 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 most deaths occurred on July 16 with 152.
In the state report Thursday, 123 new deaths were listed but 2 were removed from the previous day's report, including in Broward, because it was determined not to be coronavirus related for a total increase of 120.
Pinellas is in fourth place with 469, a rise of 2, and Hillsborough climbed by 1 to 3787. Lee has 323, with a rise of 6.
In South Florida, there were 30 of the 120 deaths reported Thursday for a total of 3,751 at 48.4 percent though the population only comprises 30 percent. For months the percentage has been above half.
Deaths rose by 1,164 in the state over seven days for 15.0 percent and in Palm Beach County it was 86 for 10.7percent. Two months ago the one-week figure was in the mid 200s. The U.S. figure is 4.8 percent with the world at 6.0 percent.
Miami-Dade climbed to 17,84, which is 269 more in one week. Broward increased to 782 with a rise of 106 in one week.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 20 states, including Kentucky at 760 with 8 more. Nevada is at 900, which is 8 ahead of Florida after gaining 10.
The state on Thursday identified 10 fatalities in Palm Beach County with 8 men (75, 78, 79, 79, 79, 81, 85, 92) and 2 women (77, 90). Martin's newly reported deaths were. St. Lucie's were 4 men (53, 85, 86, 94) and 3 women (67, 72, 86). Martin reported 2 women (82, 92) and an 86-year-old man. Indian River's death was an 85-year-old woman and Okeechobee added an 83-year-old woman.
Testing
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 3,863,276, fourth in the nation, behind No. 1 New York, No. 2 California and No. 3 Texas. That Florida figure is 18.0 percent of Florida's population, though some people tested more than once.
The overall positive rate was a record 13.21 percent Thursday compared with 13.16 Wednesday.
Several weeks ago the daily rate was around 2-3 percent but has risen to 11.67. The record is 20.71 percent on July 8 when there were 51,686 tests.
The record test total was 142,964 July 11.
The state reported 8.34 percent of people who tested for the first time were positive on tests received Wednesday compared with 10.88 and 10.89 in back-to-back days.
In Palm Beach County, the daily first-time new cases positive rate was a two-week low of 7.7 percent compared with 10.0 the day before. The high was 12.3 percent over two weeks on July 23.
Miami-Dade's figure dropped to 12.8 from 15.5 the day before and a low of 12.6 three days earlier. Miami-Dade's highest was 26.4 on July 8. In Broward, the percentage was 8.5 compared with a two-week low of 8.3 two days earlier and 8.8 the day before.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie was 8.3 percent after a 14-day low of 7.1 percent three days earlier as Martin posted 6.4 after 10.9 the day before and three days under 5.0. Indian River's latest figure was 6.9 compared with a two-week low of 4.6 on July 25 and 8.7 one day ago. Okeechobee was at 17.3 compared with 20.0 the day before and two-week high of 26.1 on Friday.
With more testing and no requirements for someone to take a test, the median age is at 40, but 43 for tests reported Wednesday.
Palm Beach County has 35,737 cases out of 272,076total tested for 13.1 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 127,677 positive cases out of 662,388 tested for 19.3 percent, and Broward is second with 60,058 cases and 421,472 tested for 14.2 percentage.
In Martin County, it's 3,712 of 25,083 for 14.8 percent. In St. Lucie, it's 5,514 out of 41,671 for 13.2 percent, Indian River with 2,424 of 26,303 for 9.2 percent and Okeechobee 989 of 6,401 for 15.5 percent.
Mortality rate
The mortality rate, which compares positive cases against deaths, has been trending down in the state.
It is 1.5 percent in the state for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 3.3 percent in the United States and 3.7 percent worldwide, neared 717,000 deaths and passed 19.2 million cases Thursday.
Palm Beach County's rate was 2.5 percent, compared with Broward at 1.3 percent and Miami-Dade with 1.4 percent. With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 2.7 percent in St. Lucie, 2.4 percent in Martin, 2.1 percent in Indian River and 0.7 percent in Okeechobee.
Florida has 361 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 492 per million. New York, which represents 20.2 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,687 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 92.1 per million.
Age breakdown
The youngest deaths are a 9-year-old girl from Putnam 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 20 deaths in the 15-24 class with no increase. A 24-year-old woman from St. Lucie was identified Tuesday. Monday's increases were a 16-year-old girl from Miami and 17-year-old boy from Manatee. Broward includes a 20-year-old man and 3 women 22 as well as a 16-year-old girl from Lee, a 17-year-old boy from Pasco and a 22-year-old woman from Palm Beach County.
Fifty-four people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus, which was an increase of 1.
A total of 2,568 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 42 in one day.
Ninety-two percent of the fatalities are 55 and older and 62. 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 8,512 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 123, and 177 were hospitalized, which was an increase of 7. From ages 5-14, there are 19,769,an increase of 316 with 143 in the hospital at one time, which is an increase of 13.
From the infant to 54 age group, 366,704 of the 504,768 residents have tested positive. But in that group, 576 have died, an increase of 5, for a 0.16 death percentage.
From infant to 64, there are 431,955 cases. A total of 1,377 have died, an increase of 16 for a 0.32 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 8,947 an increase of 133. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, rose 68 to 6,327 followed by Boca Raton at 4,807 up from 4,742, Boynton Beach at 3,153 from 3,111 and Delray Beach at 2,423 vs. 2,391. A total of 766 in the county not designated by a city.
Port St. Lucie leads the Treasure Coast with 3,260, an increase of 70, followed by Fort Pierce at 1,960, up 38, and Stuart with 1,810 vs. 1,798.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, remained at 367 compared with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 28,573 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 26,017 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 2,747 in Palm Beach County, an increase of 33 compared with 43 the day before; 336 in Martin, which went up by 4; 346 in St. Lucie with an increase of 4, Indian River increased by 3 to 184 and Okeechobee went up by 1 to 93.
Long-term care
Forty-three percent of the deaths, 3,301 3,242 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 362 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 622 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 58 and in Palm Beach County it was 2 more.
National
Since the first death was reported five months ago on Feb. 29, the toll has risen to 162,804, an increase of 1,203 Thursday, according to Worldometers.info.
Johns Hopkins reports 159,990, a gain of 2,060.
Cases reached 5032,179, with an increase of 58,611, according to Worldometers.info. They have exceeded 70,000 seven times, including a record 78,407 one week ago Friday.
Last Thursday in the U.S., there were 1,465 more deaths and 68,585 more cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 7,491 at 4.8 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation with 32,817, including 6 more Thursday, among the lowest since the outbreak, after a high of 799 in April.
Among other states in the top 10 for deaths: No. 2 New Jersey with 6, No. 4 Massachusetts 32, No. 8 Pennsylvania 8, No. 9 Michigan 28, No. 10 Connecticut none.
Also, No. `12 Georgia added 42.
No. 24 Washington, which was the original epicenter in the United States, gained 28 deaths, the most since 29 on May 21.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 18.6 percent of the 6,464 additional deaths Thursday and 22.7 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total. The one week world death increase was 40,581 at 6.0 percent.
Last Thursday's death increase was 6,457.
Cases increased by 280,997 behind a record 289,609 on July 24.
Brazil, which is second behind the United States for deaths, reported 1,226, which was 23 ahead of No. 2 U.S., after a record 1,554 one week go Wednesday for a total of 98,644. Brazil added 54,801 cases for a total of 2,917,562 – more than half as many as No. 1 U.S.
Mexico reported 819 more deaths late Thursday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 50,517 in third place.
India added 899 deaths to rise to 41,638 and in fifth place. The Asian nation also reported a record 62,160 cases – the most in the world Thursday for a third-place total of 2,025409, behind the U.S. and Brazil.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom's deaths decreased 65 to 49 for a total of 46,413. The daily high was 1,172. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported 6 deaths, among the lowest since the pandemic. No. 7 France added 7 and No. 8 Spain 1.
No. 9 Peru reported no data and No. 10 Iran had 174.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 871,994, including an additional 5,267. The nation gained 116 deaths for 11th place.
No. 17 Canada added 4 deaths for a total of 8,966 as well as 374 cases.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity," reported 5 new deaths for a total of 5,766 in 22nd and 63 cases. Neighboring Norway remained at 256 for the third day in a row, as well as 59 more cases.
No. 26 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26 and added 37 cases Friday after 127 one week ago, the most since early April.
Japan added 4 deaths for 1,034 as well as 1,134 cases three days after 1,998.