WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — For only the fourth time since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Florida Health Department didn't release data on New Year's Day.
No information, including deaths, cases and testing, also was released on Thanksgiving, Christmas 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 28 states not reporting data Friday as cases passed 20 million after surpassing 19 million Sunday with an additional 1,840 deaths.
Florida closed out the year Thursday with a record increase of 17,192 coronavirus cases in one day, shattering the mark of 15,300 on July 12, as deaths rose by 127, which was 10 less than the day before.
Florida was among 8 states reporting triple-digit increases of deaths Thursday with a total increase of 3,419. On Wednesday, the U.S. set a record for most fatalities reported in one day, 3,751, surpassing the mark of 3,725 the day before.
After the first two deaths in Florida were announced on March 6, which is 300 days, the death toll has reached 21,673 for an average of 72 per day -- fourth behind No. 1 New York, Texas and California. Florida's total including nonresidents is 21,984 which rose by 6 to 317.
Florida's cases reached 1,323,315 with only No. 1 California and No. 2 Texas also reporting more than 1 million. Seven days ago, California passed 2 million.
A total of 17.18 percent of the additional cases were in Miami-Dade: 2,937. Much fewer were Palm Beach County with 991 after 509, with Broward 1,442, St. Lucie 188, Martin 79, Indian River 100 and Okeechobee 63.
Tests reported from labs to the state Wednesday were 166,439, one day after 180,181 and seven days after a record 187,508. The state's daily first-time positivity rate rose from 8.74 percent to ``11.7 with a record 22.9 two days ago. The two-week low was 8.06 six days ago. Palm Beach County's rate climbed to 9.9 percent one day after 7.07 and two days after a record 19.75, which surpassed the previous high of 15.7 on July 6. The low was 6.11 five days ago.
The state began reporting first-time positivity rates in July.
The state's total daily positivity rate was 13.27 percent one day after 10.03 and two days after a record 26.32 percent with a two-week low of 9.93 seven days ago. The previous high was 24 percent on April 15. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27.
The state considers anything above 5 percent in the danger threshold.
State testing sites were closed Friday as well as on Christmas Eve and Christmas,
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 360 compared with 366 the day before. The state reported Thursday there are currently 6,363 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which is the first time it reached 6,000 since Aug. 13 and 65 more in one day. It passed 5,000 on Dec. 15. The high of 9,520 was on July 21 though the state didn't begin posting data until July.
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 1.7 percent in the United States and 2.2 percent worldwide, which neared 1,835,000 deaths and neared 84.4 million cases Friday, according to Worldometers.info.
County rates: Palm Beach County 2.3 percent, Broward 1.4, Miami-Dade 1.4, St. Lucie 2.9, Martin 2.7, Indian River 2.3 (-0.1) and Okeechobee 2.1 (-0.1)
Deaths per million: Florida 1,009, U.S. 1,074, world 235.3. In the U.S., that means roughly 1 in 1,000 people died from a coronavirus cause. New York, which represents 11.0 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,961 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 347,788 Friday, an increase of 2,051 two days after a record 3,744, according to Johns Hopkins. Ten states reported at least 50 more deaths.
Weekly changes: The one-week death increase was 17,542 at 4.4 percent. The increase on Christmas was 1,233.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 New York: had an increase of 172 deaths, the most since 186 on May 27, to rise 38,155 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 334 at 27,771. No. 3 California: increase of a state-record 585 deaths, two days after previous mark of 432 at 25,971. No. 5: New Jersey: increase of 119 at 19,160.
Among states in top 10: No. 6 Illinois 172, No. 7 Pennsylvania 236, No. 8 Michigan no data, No. 9 Massachusetts no data, No. 10 Georgia 17.
Also with at least 50, including No. 12 Arizona 151, No. 31 Kansas 138 (two days), No. 13 Indiana 106, No. 23 Colorado 59. No. 29 Washington, the original U.S. epicenter, no data.
Cases
Infections increased to 20,128,693 Friday with a rise of 160,606 behind the mark of 249,709 Dec. 18 according to Johns Hopkins. The increase on Christmas was 100,186.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 California at 2,292,568 with U.S.-high 25,971 after U.S.-record 53,711 Dec. 16. No. 2 Texas 1,563,758 with 12,379 three days after record 26,990. No. 4 New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is at 999,911 with 16,497 one day after record 16,802,. No. 5 Illinois at 970,590 with 7,201 after what was a U.S. record 15,415 on Nov. 13.
Eighteen reported at least 2,000 cases, including states records No. 7 Georgia with 8,719 and No. 42 West Virginia 2,486. Other high numbers: No. 12 Arizona 10,160, No. 8 Pennsylvania 7,714, No. 13 Indiana 6,407, No. 14 New Jersey 5,541, No. 30 Kansas 5,312 (two days), No. 20 Virginia 5,182, No. 21 Colorado 4,873, No. 16 Missouri 4,729, No. 19 Alabama 3,885, No. 26 Maryland 3,567.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 22.5 percent of 9,633 Friday, two days after a record 15,121, and 19.4 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 76,613 at 4.4 percent. On Christmas, the deaths were 8,844.
Cases: Increased by 562,285, one day after a record 745,018 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. On Christmas, the cases were 534,759.
No. 2 Brazil: 465 deaths for a total of 195,441 compared with record of 1,554 on July 29. Cases: 24,605, behind a record 70,869 on July 29, with total third at 7.700,578.
No. 3 India: 256 deaths, compared with a national-record 1,299, to rise to 148,994 and in third place. Cases: 20,036 compared with a record 97,894, and is second in the world, with 10,286,710.
No. 4 Mexico: 700 deaths, compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 126,507 in fourth place. Cases: 11,091 after record 12,511 Dec. 23.
Europe: Coronavirus is surging at record cases levels and deaths that are the highest since the spring with nations instituting lockdowns. The continent reported 3,663 new deaths and 223,720 cases.
Five European nations are in the top 10. No. 5 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter, reported 462 deaths after a record 993 Dec. 3 and 22,211 cases after record 40,896 on Nov. 13. No. 6 United Kingdom 613 deaths, behind the record 1,166 April 21, as well as 53,285 casses one day after record 55,892. No. 7 France 133 deaths after 932 on Nov. 13 that was the most since a record of 1,437 in April, as well as 19,348 cases after a record 86,852 on Oct. 31. No. 8 Russia 536 deaths after record 635 and 27,747 cases after record 29,935 Dec. 24 and fourth overall with 3,186,336. No. 10 Spain no data after 148 deaths and 15,603 cases Thursday with the record 22,822 Oct. 27.
Also, No. 14 Germany reported 206 deaths two days after record 1,129 and 10,419 cases, behind the record of 31,553 Dec.18. Poland moved past South Africa into 15th with 400 deaths with the record 674 on Nov. 25, and 11,008 cases, behind the record of 37,596 Nov. 23.
No. 9 Iran: 114 deaths after a record 486 on Nov. 16. Cases: 6,286 after a record 14,051 Nov. 27.
No. 23 Canada: No data three days after record 257 for a total of 15,606 and 1,302 cases five days after record 10,404.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" no data and is 8,727. Neighboring Norway remained at 436 for second day in a row, as well as 236 more cases.
China: the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26 and dropped to 43rd behind Greece. China added 22 cases Saturday.
South Korea: 25 deaths Saturday three days after record 40 deaths for a total of 942 plus 824 new cases, behind the record of 1,241 Dec. 25.
Japan: 49 deaths five days after record 63 for a total of 3,554, including 13 on a cruise ship, and 3,247 cases one day after record 4,520.
