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Palm Beach County coronavirus deaths up 4 to 135; state surges past 900

Palm Beach County coronavirus map
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Coronavirus deaths in Palm Beach County rose by 4 to 135 as state fatalities spiked by 60 to 927 though the cases continue to slow, the Florida Department of Health announced Wednesday night.

The state death toll increased by 6.9 percent after rising by 44 on Tuesday and 49 on Monday. The record number of deaths was 72 last Tuesday, April 14.

The cases in Florida rose by 711 to 28,576, which is a 2.5 percent gain -- after an additional 811 Tuesday and 744 more Monday.

A total of 290,476 have been tested in the state with 260,318 negative results for 9.7 percent compared with 10.3 percent Friday. In Palm Beach County, the numbers increased by 93 to 2,413 after there were 60 Tuesday.

Two massive testing sites are located in Palm Beach County: the South County Civic Center and FITTEAM Ballpark in West Palm Beach. In addition, a test site has opened in Belle Glade as well as in Fort Pierce. Other big testing sites at located at Marlins Park and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami-Dade County.

On Wednesday morning, the state announced 26 additional deaths and 34 more in the evening update -- one of five states in the top 10 for deaths with an increase fromthe day before. In Palm Beach County, no more deaths were announced in the morning and all 4 in the evening update: two men 42 and 43, and two women 83 and 92.

Miami-Dade County has the most deaths in the state, increasing by 19 to 252 in one day. Broward County rose to 147 with an increase of 21 for second place.

Forty-five of the additional 60 deaths are linked to South Florida, including one fatality announced in Indian River County, a 83-year-old man, in rising to 5. The death count remained the same elsewhere on the Treasure Coast: 16 in St. Lucie, 4 in Martin and none in Okeechobee.

South Florida accounts for 559 deaths, which is 60.3 percent of the state total though the population comprises 30 percent.

The mortality rate involving positive cases is 3.2 percent in the state compared with 5.6 percent in the United States and 7.0 percent worldwide. In Palm Beach County the rate is 5.6 percent compared with 3.5 percent in Broward and 2.4 percent in Miami-Dade. With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 7.5 percent in St. Lucie, 5.9 percent in Indian River and 2.4 percent in Martin.

The deaths in the state range from a 26-year-old man in Miami-Dade to a 101-year-old woman in Miami-Dade. Ninety-two percent of the fatalities are 55 and older and 58 percent 75 and older.

Florida ranks 10th in the nation in total deaths and 10th in increase of deaths from the day before, according to Wednesday tracking by Worldometers.info.

New York leads with 20,534 deaths, including 661 additional deaths after 764 more fatalities Tuesday and 631 more Monday. New Jersey went from 376 more deaths to 310 for a total of 5,063, second in the nation. Michigan dropped from 232 to 113 for third place at 2,813, Massachusetts jumped from 152 to 221 for fourth place at 2,182. Washington, which at one time was the epicenter in the United States dropped to 12th place at 692 with 10 more deaths as well as 212 more cases..

Florida is 492 deaths behind No. 9 California.

In all, 47,659 have died from the virus in the United States, which is an increase of 2,341 -- 463 less than the day before.

The U.S. represented 25.9 percent of the world total and 35.4 percent of the additional deaths. Italy, which at one time was an epicenter of the virus, is second in the world but the nation gained only 1.8 percent with 437 more deaths. No. 3 Spain increased 435 fatalities for a 2.0 percent gain. China, the original epicenter, reported no new deaths Wednesday and is now at 4,632 in ninth place.

One week ago in the United States, there were 32,443 deaths total compared with 16,503 two weeks ago, 6,263 three weeks ago, 1,260 four weeks ago, 171 five weeks ago, 38 six weeks ago, 11 seven weeks ago and 0 eight weeks ago.

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Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 19 states and the District of Columbia. The deaths range from a 38-year-old man to a 96-year-old woman.

The county's total number of confirmed cases are wide-ranging, with the youngest person being an infant girl and boy and the oldest a 104-year-old man. In the state, there are 119 cases of children up to 4.

West Palm Beach leads Palm Beach County with 454 cases, followed by Boca Raton with 374, Boynton Beach with 315 and Delray Beach with 298. The most cases on the Treasure Coast are in Port St. Lucie with 145.

Palm Beach County has 2,413 cases out of 19,822 total tested, including those awaiting results.

Miami-Dade leads with 10,289 positive cases out of 64,525 tested, and Broward is second with 4,254 cases and 36,743 tested.

On the Treasure Coast, only 9 additional cases were reported Wednesday -- 7 more in St. Lucie and 2 more in Marti.

In St. Lucie, it's 206 positive out of 2,414 total tested, followed by Martin with 160 out of 1,430, Indian River with 85 out of 1,359 and Okeechobee with 8 out of 278.

A total of 4,455 people in the state have been hospitalized at one time, which is 229 more than the day before . That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died. The number is 381 in Palm Beach County, 62 in St. Lucie, 39 in Martin, 24 in Indian River and 5 in Okeechobee.