WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Nearly 1 1/2 years since the first coronavirus case occurred in Florida, the latest outbreak is rising to record weekly increases: 1,727 deaths (247 daily), including 339 most recently, and 152,760 cases (21,823 daily).
In good news, the 16,457 hospitalizations are less the record 17,295 eight days ago, nearly three-quarters of adults have received at least one vaccine dose, and the weekly first-time infection positivity rate of 16.8% is 3 percentage points down in a week. But several South Florida Countys are reporting much higher rates: Okeechobee at 35.6%, St. Lucie County at 25.1%, Indian River at 23.9% with Palm Beach County at 13.9% and Martin at 14.7%.
A greater percentage of young people are recently being affected. The under 12 age group has the most new cases at 26,475. In the 12-19 age group the positivity rate is the highest among the classes at 23.1% with 21,740 new cases and only 49% fully vaccinated. Conversely, the positivity rate is 11.7% for those 65 and older with 87% fully vaccinated.
In data released by the Florida Department of Health late Friday afternoon, the cumulative death toll is 43,979 and cases are 1,179,714, with the state last week becoming the third in the nation to surpass the 3 million milestone.
And based upon a CDC cumulative death total of 43,640 from the previous day, the most recent daily increase is 339.
Last year the highest weekly seven-day increase was 1,266 (181 daily). On Aug. 27 it was 770 (110 daily). And cases on that date reached reached 25,032 (3,576). The first-time daily positivity rate then was 9.04% with the target 5 percent or less.
Until recently, the record for deaths was 1,266 on Aug. 16, 2020. And cases reached 107,653 (`15,379 daily) on Jan. 8.
The previous week's gain for deaths was 1,486 so this week's increase is 16.2% and the previous week was 1,071. Last week the cases' increase was 150,714, slightly less than the record 151,764.
The state listed 389 deaths occurred in the past week with 346 deaths the week before and 286 previously. In newly reported deaths, there was a child under 16 years old, raising the total to 11 since the pandemic, with 28 more deaths among those 16-29 for a total of 207.
Deaths can take several days or even weeks to be reported to the state so the figures will fluctuate.
The most deaths that occurred most recently were 189 on Aug. 9.
The most deaths that occurred in one day: 242 on Aug. 5, 2020.
The record increase was 276 on Aug. 11.
The new cases in the state over one week were 151,749, which is different than 152,760 increase because of revisions. Two weeks ago, the rise was 151,764.
The daily cases record is 27,584 reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday, surpassing the past record 26,385 Tuesday with 21,183 Wednesday.
The CDC is now only reflecting the date of occurrence for cases and deaths rather than when reported to the Florida Department of Health. It can take several days or even weeks for the state to receive a report of a death. The CDC twice a week has been revising the previous cumulative totals as more data are reported.
The state has never listed increases on its since disbanded website and reports as media outlets, including WPTV, did the math each day.
Daily cases have exceeded 8,000 daily since July 15, 12,000 since July 21, 15,000 since Aug. 2.
On June 4, Florida switched to weekly reports from daily -- the first state in the nation reporting any data every seven days. In addition, the state's dashboard was removed, as well as current hospitalization data. Michigan and Ohio, which are in the top 10 for most deaths, reports deaths only a few days per week.
The CDC lists the seven-day moving average of 21,643 with the record 2`1,761 Aug. 16.
According to data received by the CDC Thursday, U.S. deaths rose 1,222 and cases were up 165,870.
The first-time daily positivity rate was 7.8 seven weeks ago. The daily record was 23.38% on Dec. 28.
The state, which is the third most-populous with 16.5% of the population, is fourth in the nation, behind California with 65,033, Texas with 54,901 and New York with 54,139. In the past week, Texas passed New York.
Florida is third in cases behind California with 4,084,799 and Texas with 3,531,043.
The overall first-time positivity rate is 20.3%, up 0.5% in one week.
The state reports don't include nonresidents' deaths and cases.
The weekly reports don't list deaths for each county but include other data:
Palm Beach County: Cases: 197,754 residents (8,595 new). First-time positivity average in past week: 13.9%.
St. Lucie County: Cases: 40,193 resident (2,322 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 25.1%.
Martin County: Cases: 17,003 residents (648 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 14.7.
Indian River County: Cases: 18,847 residents (1,299 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 23.9%.
Okeechobee County: 5,935 residents (534 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 35.6%.
Broward County: 320,837residents (11,664 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 12.9%.
Miami-Dade County: 620,499 residents (16,706new). First-daily positivity in past week: 10.4%.
In other data, the state reported there are 12 deaths under 16 (increase of one) and 381,573 cases (342,378 previous week). At the other extreme, for 65 and older there are 34,894 deaths (33,815 previous week), which is 79.3% of total) and 414,669cases (398,785 previous week), which is 13.0% of total.
The state's mortality rate (cases vs. deaths) was 1.4%,, including 8.4% for 65 and older but less than 1% in younger ages except 1.8% for 60-64. It is 1.7% in the United States and 2.1% worldwide.
In deaths per million, Florida is 2,032 (20th in nation), U.S. 1,974, world 577.0. New York, which represents 8.8% of the deaths in the nation, has 2,813 per million, second behind New Jersey at 3,020.
Florida's deaths are 6.9% of the total infections in the U.S. and 8.3% of the cases. The state comprises 6.6% of the U.S. population.
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, 2020, Florida's total has surged to 14.8% of the state's 21.48 million population, sixth in cases per million. In cases per 100,000 for seven days, Florida is second at 705.4 with Mississippi No. 1 at 71.8 and Louisiana No. 3 at 696.4, according to the CDC.
The CDC has directed states to generally count one case per person unless the virus was contracted again more than 90 days.
Florida is third in total tests at 36,062,075. Some people have taken more than one test.
In the past week, there were 676,144 tests, which is 99,592 daily. On Dec. 23 there were a record 150,587 tests.
Hospitalizations reached 16,457 compared with a record 17,295 on Aug. 19, 4,262 on July 10 with the record until recently 10,179 on July 23, 2020, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health. Of the 264 hospitals reporting, 28.17% are occupied with COVID-19 patients and 85.15% (50,592) with all patients of the 59,413 total beds. The day before 256 hospitals reported data.
In state vaccination data from the CDC, 74.5% of Florida's population 18 and older has had at least one dose (12,851,670,) and 62.2% fully vaccinated (10,728,461). President Joe Biden had set a nationwide goal of 70% vaccinated by July 4 with at least one dose by adults and the current figure is 73.7. Totally vaccinated is 63.0%.
Twenty-five states (three more than last week) achieving the 70% standard are Hawaii (87.3%), Vermont (86.8%), Massachusetts (86.7%), Connecticut (85.2%), New Jersey (82.9%), New Mexico (82.9%), Maine (82.4%), Rhode Island (82.3%), California (81.9%), Pennsylvania (81.8%), Maryland (80.6%), Washington (80.4%), New York (79.3%), Illinois (77.9%), New Hampshire (77.4%), Virginia (76.8%), Delaware (75.7%), Colorado (74.9%), Oregon (74.8%), Florida (74.5%), Minnesota (74.5%), Utah (71.9%), Nebraska (70.5%), Kansas (70.0%, Texas (70.0%. The three worst percentages: Wyoming 55.4%, West Virginia 55.8%, Mississippi at 57.1%.
Also reaching the benchmark are Puerto Rico (82.4%), Guam (80.3%), District of Columbia (78.4%).
For those 12 and older in Florida, 72.6% had at least one dose (13,566,552) and the complete series is 60.0% (11,218,442).
For the total population, the percentage is 62.1% (13,574,363) and the complete series is 51.0% (11,219,987).