Florida's new coronavirus cases dropped to 2,331, which was 58 percent lower than the day before, and increased deaths were 41 from 72, the lowest non-weekend/holiday number in more than four months, the Florida Health Department announced Saturday. Also, with daily tests down significantly to 40,557, state's first-time positivity rate increased from 5.86 percent to 6.32 percent with Palm Beach County going from 5.56 percent to 7.37, the second highest in the past week of 8.27 four days ago.
The state has considered anything about 5 percent a danger "threshold."
Until Saturday's data release, cases had risen above 4,000 for four days in a row. Friday's figure was 5,592, which was the the most since 6,352 on Aug. 15, not including two days' worth of data on Oct. 11 and 7,569 for one day on Sept. 1, which were both because of infection dumps. Thursday's figure was 4,198, Wednesday's 4,115 and Tuesday's 4,298. Last Saturday cases roses by 4,471.
This Saturday's cases were the lowest since 2,441 on Oct. 21.
They increased by 3,377 Monday, the most on a Monday since 4,155 on Aug. 10. On Monday, 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.
Although infections in Florida are trending upward like in most other states in the nation, new cases are exponentially lower than its U.S. daily high of 15,300 in July.
Palm Beach County's daily cases increased by 263 one day after 405. On Sept. 28, the rise was 27.
Saturday's death increases were the lowest since 20 on Monday and they were fewest since 24 on June 27 for data not after a weekend, when statistics are traditionally lower. On Sept. 6, one day after Labor Day, they rose by 24.
Deaths increased by 77 last Saturday. Sunday's increase of 12 was the least since 5 on Sept. 23.
The last time there was a triple-digit increase was 105 one week ago Wednesday, and they were last highest 141 on Thursday, Oct. 15. The record was 276 deaths on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Palm Beach County's deaths increased by 2 to 1,588, which is second to Miami-Dade and ahead of Broward after an increase of 6 Friday.
On the Treasure Coast, St. Lucie rose by 1 to 336, Martin by 2 to 167 and Indian River remained at 125. Okeechobee is still 38 with its first two fatalities on July 25.
Broward rose by 1 and has gained only 3 deaths death in one week, and Miami-Dade increased by 4.
With a net increase of 10 deaths in South Florida of the 41 state total, which is 24.4 percent, there are 7,424, which is 44.3 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, which is 239 days, the death toll has reached 16,761 for an average of 70 per day. Florida's total including nonresidents is 16,969, which increased by 1 to 208.
The number of deaths over one week is 344, an average of 49, compared with 500 the previous week.
Florida's total of 802,547 cases is 8.8 percent of the total infections in the U.S., which passed 9 million Friday, though the state only comprises 6.5 percent of the population.
In one week cases have risen by 26,296 for an average of 3,757 at 3.4 percent. The previous week the increase was 23,770 with an average of 3,396. The average since the first case, which was 244 days ago, is 3,289 per day.
Cases passed 700,000 one month ago, Sept. 27, after going above 600,000 Aug. 23, 500,000 on Aug. 5, 400,000 on July 24, 300,000 on July 15, 200,000 on July 5, 100,000 on June 22.
State and county increases represent fatalities received by the state Friday 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: 66 on Oct. 7.
The state report Saturday identified 75 deaths with 34 previously reported cases added as a fatality for a net increase of 41.
Florida's first-time daily infection rate of tests reported by labs Friday was the eighth time in 14 days it was 5 percent or more with the two-week high of 6.72 Oct. 20 and a low of 3.66 seven days ago.
Palm Beach County's first-time percentage was the ninth time in two weeks and seventh day in a row it was 4 percent or more. The rate fourdays ago of 8.27 was the highest since 8.81 on Aug. 10, not including a date dump when it was 8.68 two weeks ago. The two-week low was each 2.68 on Aug. 18 and Aug. 23, and it was 1.92 on Oct. 11, which was the smallest since 1.5 percent on May 19
The state's total daily positivity rate for all tests increased to 7.98 percent on 40,557 tests received Friday from 7.22 on 100,308 tests. The 14-day high was 8.01 Oct. 20 and the low was 4.64 seven days ago. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27 and the record test total was 142,964 July 11.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 153 compared with 174 the day before. The state reported Saturay there are currently 2,348 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which is 1 more than Friday.
Deaths
Since June 16, Florida has climbed seven spots from 11th place in the nation to fourth. And the state is 10th in deaths per million.
Texas is in second place with the addition of a U.S.-high 90 deaths Saturday after a state-record 324 on Aug. 11, for a total of 18,024. California reported 55 and is in third place with 17,626. New Jersey, which had been second throughout the pandemic, is in fifth place with 16,350 adding 11 fatalities.
It took 12 days for Florida's death toll to go from the 15,000 milestone to 16,000, the same to surpass that figure Oct. 7, but 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. More than three months ago, July 20, there were 5,075 deaths.
Deaths have had upward and lower trends since the pandemic in Florida. A few months ago they were averaging more than 1,200 a week with one-week figures earlier in the mid 200s.
Palm Beach County increased by 27 deaths over seven days for 1.7 percent. The U.S. figure is 2.4 percent with the world at 3.9 percent.
Miami-Dade rose to 3,647 with 42 more in seven days. Broward is at 1,523 with the increase of just 3 in a week. St. Lucie has gone up by 7 deaths compared with Martin by 3, Indian River by none and Okeechobee by none.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 20 states, including Kentucky's 1,485 with 9 reported Saturday.
Pinellas increased by 2 to 823 deaths in fourth place. Hillsborough by 16 to 816 after 22, 16, 20 the previous three days in fifth. Polk increased by 3 to 623 in sixth, Orange by 1 to 560 in seventh and Lee by 3 to 518 in eighth.
The state report Saturday identified 5 deaths in Palm Beach County though the increase was 2 with 4 women (77, 85, 87, 89) and a 78-year-old woman. Martin reported 2 women (72, 85). St. Lucie identified no deaths though the increase was 1.
Cases
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 3.7 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 802,547, third in the nation and ninth in cases per million.
California has the most cases in the U.S. at 922,005 with 5,087 more Saturday. Texas had 6,845 and is second overall with 900,596. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 507,543 with an increase of 2,112.
Thirteeen states had at least 2,500 cases.
Four Midwestern states reported record number of new infections: No. 5 Illinois announced a U.S.-high 7,899, No. 27 Wisconsin 5,278, No. 14 Michigan 4,018 and No. 19 Indiana 3,465. Also No. 30 Minnesota reported 3,007, No. 12 Ohio 2,889, No. 16 Missouri 2,986. No. 24 Iowa 2,789. In the West, No. 30 Colorado recorded a record 2,924. And No. 7 North Carolina had 2,805 and No. 6 Georgia 2,565.
In Palm Beach County, new cases have been much lower since the record 1,171 July 5. The total now is 52,447 including residents and nonresidents.
Miami-Dade's cases were 439 compared with 883 the day before and Broward's increase was 244 vs. 642. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day was Martin 16 vs. 23, St. Lucie 130 vs. 38, Indian River 14 vs. 35 and Okeechobee 2 vs. 12.
Testing
The state is no longer listing a running total of Floridians tested or total tests. Worldometers.info lists Florida with 9,943,626 total tests behind No. 1 California, No. 2 New York, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Illinois.
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 increased to 5.80 one day after 5.57, a two-week high of 5.85 five days ago and a two-week low of 2.46 seven days ago. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was 4.18 percent after 5.53 percent, a two-week high of 7.34 three days ago and a two-week low of 2.83 seven days ago.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie's rate jumped to 6.73 percent after 4.57 one day ago, a two-week high of 9.37 Oct. 20 and a low of 3.78 five days ago. Martin's rate was 5.02 percent after 5.27, a two-week low of 1.03 Oct. 17 and a two-week high of 6.93 three days ago. Indian River's rate was 3.68 percent after 5.99, a two-week high of 8.8 six days ago and a low of 3.34 on Oct. 19. Okeechobee's rate was 7.5 percent on 37 negative tests after 4.62 on 227 negative tests, a two-week high of 15.66 on 70 tests Oct. 19 and a low of 1.15 on 172 negative tests Oct. 22.
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 2.5 percent in the United States and 2.6 percent worldwide, which neared 1,200,000 deaths and neared 46.4 million cases Saturday, according to Worldometers.info.
Palm Beach County's rate is 3.1 percent compared with Broward at 1.8 percent and Miami-Dade with 2.0 percent. With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 3.7 percent in St. Lucie, 3.1 in Martin, 3.2 percent in Indian River and Okeechobee 2.2 percent, which is the highest ever.
Florida has 781 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 713 per million. New York, which represents 14.6 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,731 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 153.9 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 32 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 went up with the death of a 23-year-old man from Duval.
Ninety-seven people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with no change.
A total of 5,362 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 10 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 13,356 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 32, and 320 were hospitalized, which went up by 2. From ages 5-14, there are 35,147, an increase of 116, with 301 in the hospital at one time, which went up by 2.
From the infant to 54 age group, there are 571,200 of the 791,997 residents' cases. In that group, 1,092 have died, with an increase of 2, for a 0.19 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 674,023 cases. A total of 2,946 have died, with 7 more, for a 0.44 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 12,623 with an increase of 47. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, increased by 29 to 8,566, followed by Boca Raton at 7,953 up from 7,909, Boynton Beach went to 4,615 from 4,603 and Delray Beach at 3,565 vs. 3,565. A total of 1,560 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 5,376 an increase of 19, followed by Fort Pierce at 3,087, up 12 and Stuart with 2,491, which rose by 8.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, remained at 434 compared with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 49,338 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 48,127 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 4,175 in Palm Beach County, with an increase of 13 compared with 12 the day before. Martin increased by 1 to 425, St. Lucie stayed at 786, Indian River by 4 to 351 and Okeechobee stayed at 196.
Long-term care
Forty percent of the deaths, 6,759 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 722 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 846 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 11 and Palm Beach County went up by 1.
Nation
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 230,345, a rise of 659, according to Johns Hopkins. Worldometers.info has tabulated 236,072 deaths with an increase of 914.
Cases rose to 9,116,184, a rise of 71,929 behind a record 99,321, one day earlier, according to Johns Hopkins. COVID Tracking Project lists the case increase as 90,058, behind a record 97,080 the day before. Worldometers.info has it at 86,293, behind a record 101,461 the day before.
Last Saturday in the U.S., there were 914 more deaths and 83,730 cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 5,452 at 2.4percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation at 33,511 with Johns Hopkins reporting 5 more after a high of 799 in April and 62 Friday in an adjustment. Hopkins lists confirmed and probable deaths, with the latter not a positive case.
Among other states in the top 10 for deaths: No. 6 Illinois 46, No. 7 Massachusetts 16, No. 8 Pennsylvania 22, No. 9 Georgia 24 and No. 10 Michigan 34.
Also, No. 11 Arizona reported 45 deaths, which was the most since 65 on Sept. 3 as well as an additional 1,901 cases, the most since 2,992 on Aug. 1. No. 22 Missouri reported 99 but most were an update of its dashboard system. No. 25, the original epicenter in the United States, reported none.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 14.1 percent of 6,488 additional deaths and 19.7 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
The one week world death increase was 45,065 at 3.9 percent.
Last Saturday's death increase was 5,719.
Cases increased by 475,201, one day after a record 573,616, the 500,000 milestone three days ago and 400,000 one week ago Friday, according to Worldometers.info.
Brazil has been trending down in deaths and cases. The nation, which is second behind the United States for deaths, reported 340 deaths to rise to 159,902. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 16,077 cases at 5,535,605 in third place.
India reported 48,268 new cases compared with a world-record 97,894, for second-place behind the U.S., with 8,137,119. Also, India recorded 551 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 121,641 and in third place.
Mexico announced 464 more deaths late Saturday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 91,289 in fourth place.
In Europe, coronavirus is surging at record cases levels and deaths that are the highest since the spring with nations instituting lockdowns. The continent reported 2,388 deaths, 230,230 cases Saturday, nearly half the the world cases total.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom reported 326 deaths with the daily high 1,172 for 46,715 in fifth place, as well as 21,915 cases one week after a record 26,688. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported 297, the most since 370 on May 6, and a record 31,758 cases. No. 7 France announced 223 deaths, as well as 35,641 cases, six days after a record 52,010. No. 8 Spain reported no data after 239 deaths and a record 25,595 cases Friday.
No. 9 Iran reported 386 deaths, behind a record 415 three days ago, and Peru added 65.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 1,618,116, including 18,140 one day after a record 18,283. The nation gained 334 deaths days days after a 366 deaths in 13th.
No. 22 Canada reported 26 deaths for a total of 10,136 and 2,512 cases, four days after a record 4,109. Between May 26 and Aug. 30 cases were never more than 1,000.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" with no lockdown, reported no data is at 5,938. Neighboring Norway reported zero to remain at 282, as well as 269 more cases.
No. 34 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 24 cases Sunday.