WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Eighteen months since the first coronavirus case occurred in Florida, the latest outbreak is rising to record weekly death increase of 2,345 deaths (335 daily) but cases' rise diminished to 129,202 (18,457 daily) with the most recent 17,506.
In good news, the 14,577 hospitalizations are less the record 17,295 two weeks ago, more than three-quarters of adults have received at least one vaccine dose and the weekly first-time infection positivity rate of 15.2% is 1.6 percentage points down in a week. But several South Florida Counties are reporting much higher rates: Okeechobee at 32.0%, St. Lucie at 24.0%, Indian River at 22.5%, Martin at 18.7% but Palm Beach County at 12.6%.
A greater percentage of young people are recently being affected. The under 12 age group has the most new cases at 23,557 with a 16.8% first-time positivity rate. In the 12-19 age group the positivity rate is the highest among the classes at 21.1% with 19,687 new cases and only 50% fully vaccinated. Conversely, the positivity rate is 10.7% 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 46,324 and cases are 3,308,916 with the state among only tree topping 3 million milestone.
And based upon a CDC cumulative death total of 46,324 from the previous day, the most recent daily increase is 415.
Last year the highest weekly seven-day increase was 1,266 (181 daily) on Aug. 16, 2020. The first-time daily positivity ratelast year 9.04% with the target 5 percent or less. Earlier this year it was less than 5%.
Cases reached 107,653 (`15,379 daily) on Jan. 8 until the spike.
The previous week's gain for deaths was 1,727, which means they went up 35.8% in a week, and the previous week was 1,486. Last week the cases' increase was a record 152,760.
The state listed 433 deaths occurred in the past week with 389 deaths the week before and 346 previously. In newly reported deaths, there was one child under 16 years old, raising the total to 13 since the pandemic, with 76 more deaths among those 16-29 for a total of 283 .
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 244 on Aug. 15.
The most deaths that occurred in one day: 242 on Aug. 5, 2020.
The record increase was 276 on Aug. 11 when the state was giving daily reports.
The new cases in the state over one week were 129,240, which is different than 129,202 increase because of revisions.
The daily cases record is 27,784 reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Aug. 26. In comparing CDC increases differences, Thursday's rise was 17,506.
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 18,436 with the record 2`1,758 Aug. 16.
According to data received by the CDC Thursday, U.S. deaths rose 1,514 and cases were up 161,387
The first-time daily positivity rate was 7.8 eight 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 65,704, with 119 in the past day eported, Texas with 56,598, including a daily increase of 302, and New York with 54,361, with a rise of 52.
Florida is third in cases behind California with 4,267,986, a rise of 11,742, and Texas with 3,661,461, including 27,002 Friday.
The overall first-time positivity rate is 20.8%, 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: 204,641 residents (6,863 new). First-time positivity average in past week: 12.6%.
St. Lucie County: Cases: 42,386 resident (2,187 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 24.0%
Martin County: Cases: 17,812 residents (825 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 18.7%
Indian River County: Cases: 19,966 residents (1,118 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 22.5%
Okeechobee County: 6,416 residents (484 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 32.0%.
Broward County: 329,682 residents (8,949 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 10.5%.
Miami-Dade County: 632,579 residents (12,163 new). First-daily positivity in past week: 8.1%.
In other data, the state reported there are 13 deaths under 16 (increase of one) and 416,660 cases (381,573 previous week). At the other extreme, for 65 and older there are 36,373 deaths (34,894 previous week), which is 78.5% of total) and 428,040 cases (414,669previous week), which is 12.9% of total.
The state's mortality rate (cases vs. deaths) was 1.4%, including 8.5% for 65 and older but less than 1% in younger ages except 1.9% for 60-64. It is 1.6% in the United States and 2.1% worldwide.
In deaths per million, Florida is 2,138 (17th in nation), U.S. 2,009, world 585.8. New York, which represents 8.6% of the deaths in the nation, has 2,823 per million, third behind New Jersey at 3,032 and Mississippi at 2,869.
Florida's deaths are 7.2% of the total 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 15.6% of the state's 21.48 million population, second in cases per million behind Tennessee. In cases per 100,000 for seven days, Florida is fourth at 648.7 with Tennessee No. 1 at 739.2, South Carolina second at 735.5 and Mississippi No. 3 at 645.9, 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 37,015,919. Some people have taken more than one test.
In one week, there were 724,151 tests, which is 103,450 daily. On Dec. 23 there were a record 150,587 tests.
Hospitalizations reached 14,577 compared with 16,457 one week ago and a record 17,295 on Aug. 19. It was 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 260 hospitals reporting, 24.97% are occupied with COVID-19 patients and 83.84% (49,788) with all patients of the 59,387 total beds. The day before 255 hospitals reported data.
In state vaccination data from the CDC, 75.6% of Florida's population 18 and older has had at least one dose (13,056,922) and 63.6% fully vaccinated (10,970,086). 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 74.7. Totally vaccinated is 63.9%.
Twenty-nine states (four more than last week) achieving the 70% standard are Hawaii (88.1%), Massachusetts (87.3%), Vermont (87.2%), Connecticut (86.1%), New Mexico (84.0%), New Jersey (83.8%), Rhode Island (83.5%), Maine (83.3%), California (82.8%), Pennsylvania (82.7%), Washington (81.5%), Maryland (81.4%), New York (80.3%), Illinois (78.9%), New Hampshire (78.2%), Virginia (77.7%), Delaware (76.4%), Florida (75.7%), Oregon (75.7%), Colorado (75.6%), Minnesota (75.0%), Utah (72.7%), Nebraska (71.4%), Kansas (71.0%, Texas (71.0%), Wisconsin (70.8%), Nevada (70.5%), South Dakota (70.4%), Kentucky (70.0%)
The three worst percentages: West Virginia 56.1%, Wyoming 56.5%, Mississippi at 58.5%.
Also reaching the benchmark are Puerto Rico (84.3%), Guam (82.5%), District of Columbia (79.2%).
For those 12 and older in Florida, 73.8% had at least one dose (13,798,688) and the complete series is 61.5% (11,506,646).
For the total population, the percentage is 64.3% for one dose (13,806,568) and the complete series is 53.6% (11,508,568).
Correction: In earlier version of this report, the daily case increase was incorrectly reported as 127,202. The correct change is 129,202.
