WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's new coronavirus cases more than doubled to 4,865 in one day but increased deaths dropped from 48 to 28, including none in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast area, the Florida Health Department announced Sunday. Also, with daily tests more than tripling to 123,903, the state's first-time positivity rate decreased from 6.31 percent to 4.32 with Palm Beach County going from 7.39 percent to 4.81.
On Saturday, infections had dropped to 2,331, the lowest since 2,144 on Oct. 21, after four days in a row more than 4,000. 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 was 4,198, Wednesday's 4,115 and Tuesday's 4,298. Last Sunday cases roses by 2,385.
On Monday, they increased by 3,377, 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 302 one day after 263. On Sept. 28, the rise was 27. Infections spiked in Broward by 726 and Miami-Dade by 918.
Sunday's deaths were the lowest since 20 on Monday. They increased by 12 last Sunday, which 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 remained at 1,588, which is second to Miami-Dade and ahead of Broward after an increase of 2 Saturday.
On the Treasure Coast, St. Lucie stayed at 336, Martin at 167 and Indian River at 125. Okeechobee is still 38 with its first two fatalities on July 25.
Broward rose by 3 and has gained only 6 deaths death in one week, and Miami-Dade increased by 15.
With a net increase of 18 deaths in South Florida of the 28 state total, which is 64.3 percent, there are 7,442, 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 240 days, the death toll has reached 16,789 for an average of 70 per day. Florida's total including nonresidents is 16,997 69, which remained at 208.
The number of deaths over one week is 360, an average of 51, compared with 462 the previous week.
Florida's total of 807,412 cases is 8.7 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 28,776 for an average of 4,110 at 3.7 percent. The previous week the increase was 23,616 with an average of 3,374. The average since the first case, which was 245 days ago, is 3,296 per day.
Cases passed 800 on Friday, 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 Saturday 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 Sunday identified 30 deaths with 2 previously reported cases deleted as a fatality for a net increase of 28.
Florida's first-time daily infection rate of tests reported by labs Saturday was the sixth time in 14 days it was under 5 percent with the two-week high of 6.73 Oct. 20 and a low of 3.66 Oct. 23.
Palm Beach County's first-time percentage had been 5 percent and above for seven days in a row, including 8.27 five days ago that was the highest since 8.81 on Aug. 10, not including a date dump when it was 8.68 two weeks ago. The lows were 2.68 on Aug. 18 and 2.68 on Aug. 23. 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 decreased to 7.38 percent on 123,903 tests, the second highest number of tests in two weeks behind 127,365 on Oct. 23, from 7.95 on 40,542 tests one day earlier. The 14-day high was 8.01 Oct. 20 and the low was 4.64 Oct. 23. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27 and the record test total was 142,964 July 11.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 66 compared with 153 the day before. The state reported Sunday there are currently 2,357 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which is 9 more than Saturday.
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 53 deaths after a state-record 324 on Aug. 11, for a total of 18,077. California reported 41 and is in third place with 17,667. New Jersey, which had been second throughout the pandemic, is in fifth place with 16,354, adding 4 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 2.5 percent with the world at 3.9 percent.
Miami-Dade rose to 3,662 with 50 more in seven days. Broward is at 1,526 with the increase of just 6 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 1,489 with 4 reported Sunday.
Reporting no deaths were Pinellas at 823 in fourth, Hillsbourgh at 816 in fifth. Polk at 623 in sixth, Orange at 560 in seventh and Lee at 518 in eighth.
The state report Sunday identified the death of a 100-year-old woman from St. Lucie though the county's didn't increase.
Cases
Since the first two cases were announced eight months ago on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 3.8 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 807,412, third in the nation and ninth in cases per million.
California has the most cases in the U.S. at 926,534 with 4,529 more Sunday. Texas had 4,111 and is second overall with 904,855. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 509,735 with an increase of 2,192.
No. 5 Illinois announced a U.S.-high 6,980, No. 11 Wisconsin 3,493, No. 12 Ohio 3,319, No. 19 Indiana 2,750, No. 22 Colorado 2,388.
In Palm Beach County, new cases have been much lower since the record 1,171 July 5. The total now is 52,779 including residents and nonresidents.
Miami-Dade's cases were 918 compared with 439 the day before and Broward's increase was 726 vs. 244. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day was Martin 18 vs. 16, St. Lucie 50 vs. 130, Indian River 31 vs. 14 and Okeechobee 3 vs. 2.
Testing
The state is no longer listing a running total of Floridians tested or total tests. Worldometers.info lists Florida with 9,979,348 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 decreased to 3.93 percent one day after 5.78, a two-week high of 5.86 six days ago and a two-week low of 2.46 on Oct. 23. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was 4.58 percent after 4.18, a two-week high of 7.36 four days ago and a two-week low of 2.83 Oct. 23.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie's rate decreased to 5.45 percent after 6.36 one day ago, a two-week high of 9.37 Oct. 20 and a low of 3.78 six days ago. Martin's rate was 2.95 percent after 5.02, a two-week low of 2.44 Oct. 19 and a two-week high of 6.93 four days ago. Indian River's rate was 4.35 percent after 3.65, a two-week high of 8.8 seven days ago and a low of 3.34 on Oct. 19. Okeechobee's rate was 10.66 percent on 109 negative tests after 7.5 on 37 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 passed 1,205,000 deaths and passed 46.8 million cases Sunday, according to Worldometers.info.
Palm Beach County's rate is 3.0 percent (down 0.1) 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 782 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 714 per million. New York, which represents 14.5 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,732 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 154.6 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 didn't change.
Ninety-seven people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with no change.
A total of 5,372 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 13,445 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 89, and 322 were hospitalized, which went up by 2. From ages 5-14, there are 35,399, an increase of 252, with 301 in the hospital at one time, which didn't change.
From the infant to 54 age group, there are 574,640 of the 796,802 residents' cases. In that group, 1,101have died, with an increase of 3, for a 0.19 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 678,116 cases. A total of 2,952 have died, with 6 more, for a 0.44 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 12,670 with an increase of 37. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, increased by 31 to 8,597, followed by Boca Raton at 8,007 up from 7,953, Boynton Beach went to 4,659 from 4,615 and Delray Beach at 3,588 vs. 3,565. A total of 1,583 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 5,405, an increase of 29, followed by Fort Pierce at 3,101, up 14, and Stuart with 2,500, which rose by 9.
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 49,404 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 48,207 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 4,182 in Palm Beach County, with an increase of 7 compared with 13 the day before. Martin remained at 425, St. Lucie stayed at 786, Indian River by 1 to 352 and Okeechobee stayed at 196.
Long-term care
Forty percent of the deaths, 6,771 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 722 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 851 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 12 and Palm Beach County didn't change.
Nation
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 230,967, a rise of 419, according to Johns Hopkins. Worldometers.info has tabulated 236,471 deaths with an increase of 399.
Cases rose to 9,200,643, a rise of 75,161 behind a record 99,321 two days earlier, according to Johns Hopkins. COVID Tracking Project lists the case increase as 73,701 behind a record 97,080 two days before. Worldometers.info has it at 71,321, behind a record 101,461 two days before.
Last Sunday in the U.S., there were 340 more deaths and 60,807 cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 5,734 at 2.5 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation at 33,523 with Johns Hopkins reporting 12 more 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 Illinois 35, No. 7 Massachusetts 22, No. 8 Pennsylvania 5, No. 9 Georgia 2 and No. 10 Michigan no data.
Also, No. 11 Arizona reported 2 deaths, as well as an additional 1,527. No. 25, the original epicenter in the United States, reported none for two days in a row.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 7.5 percent of 5,300 additional deaths and 19.6 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
The one week world death increase was 45,749 at 3.9 percent.
Last Sunday's death increase was 4,633.
Cases increased by 436,707, two day after a record 573,616, the 500,000 milestone four 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 202 deaths to rise to 160,104. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 10,100 cases at 5,545,705 in third place.
India reported 46,964 new cases compared with a world-record 97,894, for second-place behind the U.S., with 8,184,083. Also, India recorded 470 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 122,111 and in third place.
Mexico announced 142 more deaths late Sunday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 91,895 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 1,946 deaths, 224,122 cases Sunday, more than half the world cases total.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom reported 162 deaths with the daily high 1,172 for 46,717 in fifth place, as well as 23,254 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 208, and 29,907, one day after a record 31,758. No. 7 France announced 231 deaths, as well as 46,290 cases, seven days after a record 52,010. No. 8 Spain reported over the weekend after 239 deaths and a record 25,595 cases Friday.
No. 9 Iran reported a record 434 deaths and 7,719, behind the record 8,293 two day ago and Peru added 65.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 1,636,781, including a record 18,665. The nation gained 245 deaths in 13th.
No. 22 Canada reported 43 deaths for a total of 10,179 and 2,330 cases, five 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 over the weekend and is at 5,938. Neighboring Norway reported zero for the second day in a row to remain at 282, as well as 304 more cases.
No. 34 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 24 cases Monday.