WEST PALM BEACH — For only the third time since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Florida Health Department didn't release data on Christmas.
No information, including deaths, cases and testing, also was released on Thanksgiving, as well as Saturday, Oct. 10, when there was a data discrepancy problem,
The state said new figures will be released Saturday on its dashboard and new reports. Florida was among 25 states not reporting data Friday. Also many nations didn't report information.
On the day after Thanksgiving, Florida reported 109 deaths and 17,344 cases over two days.
State testing sites also were closed Thursday and Friday.
On Thursday, Florida's coronavirus cases rose by 13,147, which was just one infection below last week's total that was the highest since mid-July, as deaths rose by 121, one more than the day before, with the total toll of residents only 5 from 21,000,.
Tests reported from labs Wednesday were a record 187,535, surpassing the mark of 147,060 on Nov. 25, one day before Thanksgiving, and 147,047 the day before. The state's daily first-time positivity decreased from 8.61 percent to 7.84, the only time in two weeks it was below 8 percent with the high 9.80 on Dec. 14 , which is the most since 10.03 on Nov. 13. Palm Beach County's rate dropped from 7.39 percent to 6.74, among seven days under 7 percent, including a low of 5.76 on Dec. 13, and a high of 8.39 Dec. 15 that was the biggest figure since 10.04 percent on Nov. 30. The low was 5.76 on Dec. 13.
The state considers anything above 5 percent in the dangers threshold.
Florida's cases reached 1,247,546 with only No. 1 California and No. 2 Texas also reporting more than 1 million. On Thursday, California passed 2 million.
Florida's cases and deaths mirror the state's 6.5 percentage of U.S. population. Forida's cases are 6.7 percent of the total infections in the U.S., which passed 18 million on Monday, which was four days after surpassing 17 million and five days to reach 16 million. Florida's deaths are 6.4 percent of the population.
Since the first two cases were announced nine months ago on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 5.8 percent of the state's 21.48 million population, 27th in cases per million. In average cases per 100,000 over the last seven days, Florida is ranked 35th at 51.7 with Tennessee No. 1 at 119.1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
After the first two deaths in Florida were announced on March 6, which is 293 days, the death toll has reached 20,995 for an average of 72 per day -- fourth behind No. 1 New York, Texas and California. Florida's total including nonresidents is 21,295, which rose by 1 to 300.
MORTALITY
The mortality rate compares positive cases against deaths. The state's rate was 1.7 percent for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 1.8 percent in the United States and 2.2 percent worldwide, which neared 1,757,000 deaths and neared 80.2 million cases Friday, according to Worldometers.info.
County rates: Palm Beach County 2.4 percent, Broward 1.4, Miami-Dade 1.5, St. Lucie 2.9, Martin 2.8 (+0.1), Indian River 2.5, Okeechobee 2.2.
Deaths per million: Florida 978, U.S. 1,019, world 225.3. New York, which represents 11.3 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,909 per million. Six months ago New York was 25.6 percent of the U.S. deaths.
NATION
Deaths
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 330,246, an increase of 1,231 behind the record of 3,682 on Dec. 16, according to Johns Hopkins. Seven reported at least 50 more deaths.
Weekly changes: The one-week death increase was 17,646 at 5.6 percent. Last Friday's increase was 2.834.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 New York: had an increase of 130 deaths to rise 37,158, compared with a daily high of 799 in April, according to Johns Hopkins tracking. Hopkins includes probable deaths, meaning there was no positive coronavirus test, with New York state only using confirmed deaths but New York City probable ones. No. 2 Texas: increase of 200 at 26,408. No. 3 California: increase of U.S.-high 312 after state-record 379 death Dec. 17 at 23,947. No. 5: New Jersey: increase of 51 at 18,595.
Among states in top 10: No. 6 Illinois 156, No. 7 Pennsylvania 139, No. 8 Michigan no data, No. 9 Massachusetts no data, No. 10 Georgia 49.
Also with at least 50: No. 12 Arizona 115. No. 29 Washington, the original U.S. epicenter, reported 22 Thursday.
Cases
Cases increased to 18,756,360 with a rise of 105,0946, the lowest since 103,530 on Nov. 4, and behind the mark of 249,709 last Friday, according to Johns Hopkins.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 California at 2,042,290 with 39,144 after U.S.-record 53,711 Dec. 16. No. 2 Texas 1,467,898 with `3,123 two days after record 19,185. No. 4 Illinois at 930,849 with 5,742 after what was a U.S. record 15,415 on Nov. 13. No. 5 New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fifth at 891,270, with 2,446 seven days after record 12,697.
Fourteen states reported at least 2,000 cases, including No. 8 Pennsylvania 7,174, No. 13 Arizona 6,616, No. 12 Indiana 5,363, No. 7 Georgia 5,145, No. 15 New Jersey 4,095, No. 20 Virginia 4,-78, No. 18 Alabama 3,123.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 14.2 percent of 8,419 deaths Friday, behind the record of 13,783 Dec. 17, and 19.3 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
Weekly changes: The one-week death increase was 75,942 at 4.5 percent.
Cases: Increased by 472,452, behind the record of 736,079 Oct. 17 with 600,000 passing for the first time Nov. 5, 500,00 for the first time Oct. 28 and 400,000 for the first time on Oct. 15.
No. 2 Brazil: 483 deaths for a total of 19.515 compared with record of 1,554 on July 29. Cases: 22,967, behind a record 70,869 on July 29, with total third at 7,448,560.
No. 3 India: 336 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 147,092 and in third place. Cases: 23,067, the 11th day in a row under 30,000, compared with a record 97,894, and is second in the world, with 10,146,845.
No. 4 Mexico: 665 deaths, compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 121,837 in fourth place. Cases: 9,679 one day after record 12,485.
Europe: Coronavirus is surging at record cases levels and deaths that are the highest since the spring with nations instituting lockdowns. The continent reported 3,507 new deaths and 196,408 cases.
Five European nations are in the top 10. No. 5 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter, reported 459 deaths after a record 993 Dec. 3 and 19,037 cases after record 40,896 on Nov. 13. No. 6 United Kingdom 570 deaths, behind the record 1,166 April 21, as well as 32,725 cases, one day after record 39,237. No. 7 France 159 deaths after 932 on Nov. 13 that was the most since a record of 1,437 in April, as well as 20,262 cases after a record 86,852 on Oct. 31. No. 9 Russia 563 deaths one day after record and 29,018 cases one day afterr ecord 29,935 and fourth overall with 2,992,706. No. 10 Spain no data after 126 deaths and 10,967 cases Thursday.
Also, No. 14 Germany reported 287 deaths three days after a record 944 deaths and 18,411 cases, behind the record of 31,553 Dec.18. And No. 15 Poland with 240deaths and 9,077 cases.
No. 8 Iran: 132deaths after a record 486 on Nov. 16. Cases: 6,021 after a record 14,051 Nov. 27.
No. 23 Canada: No data after 122 deaths Thursday for a total of 14,719 and 6,858 cases after record 8,119 Dec. 14.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" no data and is at 8,279. Neighboring Norway remained at 421 death for the second day in a row, as well as 218 more cases.
China: the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26 and dropped to 42nd. China added 20 cases Saturday.
Japan: record 63 deaths for a total of 3,199, including 13 on a cruise ship, and record 3,831 cases.