WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's coronavirus deaths increased by 79, which is higher than the average of 54.5 over the past two days, and cases rose by a one-week low of 6,277, which is much less than 8,672 average over two days, the Florida Health Department announced Saturday.
Also, total tests reported from labs Friday were 97,769, lower than a record 170,290 and 120,620 the past two days. The daily first-time positivity rate increased from a two-week low of 6.18 percent to 7.14. Palm Beach County decreased slightly to 5.54 percent from 5.59 and a two-week low of 5.38 two days ago, which are the only days over two weeks under 6 percent.
The state considers anything above 5 percent in the "danger" threshold.
The state didn't report any data on Thanksgiving, only the second time no information was released. On Saturday, Oct. 10, there was a data discrepancy problem and data weren't released until the next day.
The state reported 66 deaths with at least 13 previous cases added as fatalities for a net increase of 79.
Wednesday's 97 deaths were the most in one day since 105 on Oct. 21, when it last hit triple digits. They previously were the last highest 141 on Thursday, Oct. 15. The record was 276 deaths on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Monday's increase of 94 was the most ever for that day of the week. That day the state passed the 18,000 death milestone, taking 17 days to increase more than 1,000. 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. On July 20, there were 5,075 deaths.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, which is 266 days, the death toll has reached 18,442 for an average of 69 per day. Florida's total including nonresidents is 18,677 which increased by 2 to 235.
Deaths rose by 41 last Saturday.
Palm Beach County increased by 2 to 1,678 deaths after 6 more over two days. First-place Miami-Dade rose by 24 to 3,823 and Broward is second at 1,652 with increase of 4.
St. Lucie increased by 2 to 367, with Martin remaining at 172, Indian River at 136 and Okeechobee at 43 with its first two fatalities on July 25.
With a net increase of 32 deaths in South Florida of the 79 state total, there are 7,871 which is 42.7 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
The number of deaths over seven days is 512, an average of 73 and 2.9 percent, compared with 441 the previous week. Palm Beach County increased by 30 deaths over seven days for 1.8 percent. The U.S. figure is 3.9 percent with the world at 5.1 percent.
Cases reached 985,297 with only No. 1 Texas and No. 2 California reporting more than 1 million. Florida's infections passed 900,000 one week ago Wednesday, after surpassing 800,000 on Oct. 30, 700,000 on 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.
Florida's cases are 7.4 percent of the total infections in the U.S., which passed 13 million Friday after 12 million Saturday and 11 million the previous Sunday, though the state only comprises 6.5 percent of the population.
Since the first two cases were announced eight months ago on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 4.6 percent of the state's 21.48 million population, 23rd in cases per million, which has been dropping the last few weeks.
Over seven days, cases have risen by 53,470 for an average of 7,639 at 5.7 percent. The previous week the increase was 56,731 for an average of 8,501. The average since the first case, which was 272 days ago, is 3,622 per day.
Palm Beach County's daily cases increased by 370 after 1,154 for two days. On Sept. 28, the rise was 27. Other counties' cases: Martin 100, St. Lucie 149, Indian River 109, Okeechobee 18, Miami-Dade 3,752, Broward 1,644.
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: 55 on Oct. 29.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 124 compared with 344 two days before. The state reported Saturday there are currently 3,918 3,748 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which is 170 more in one day.
DEATHS
Since June 16, Florida has climbed seven spots from 11th place in the nation to fourth. And the state is 14th in deaths per million.
The 21 deaths of Sunday Nov. 1 were lowest since 20 on Monday, Oct. 26.
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's death count is higher than 18 states, including Kansas' 1,529 with no data Saturday.
Fourth-place Hillsborough County increased by 3 to 923, Pinellas by 10 to 895 in fifth place, Polk by 2 to 6731 in sixth, Orange up by 3 to 645 in seventh, Duval by 5 to 591 in eighth and Lee by 1 to 574.
The state report Saturday identified the death of a 93-year-old woman in St. Lucie but none for Palm Beach County, Indian River, Martin or Okeechobee.
CASES
Cases have been trending up in the state with the previous lowest this week 6,331 Tuesday. Cases rose by 8,376 Wednesday and 8,409 last Saturday.
On Sunday, Nov. 15, the 10,101 cases were the most since 12,199 on July 25. The record is 15,200, also in July.
On Monday, Sept. 29, the 738 cases were fewest since June 2 when there were 617 additional infections.
TESTING
Worldometers.info lists Florida with 12,271,258 total tests behind No. 1 California and No. 2 New York with Texas fourth and Illinois fifth.
Florida first-time daily infection rate of tests reported by labs through Friday has been under 8 percent for 10 days in a row. The high was 8.74 on Nov. 16.
The state's total daily positivity rate increased to 8.98 one day after a two-week low of 8.09 and a high of 10.41 on Nov. 16. Two days ago there were a record 170,929 tests for a 8.41 percent average. The rate of 11.37 on 49,592 tests on Nov. 13 was the highest rate since 12.11 on Aug. 16 on 34,423 tests. The last time it was 10 percent or more was 10.33 on Aug. 31. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27.
Palm Beach County's percentage had been under 9 percent 10 days in a row. The two-week high was 10.02 on Nov. 16. The rate of 10.48 on Nov. 13 was the highest since 10.49 percent on Aug. 13. The rate was 1.92 on Oct. 11, which was the smallest since 1.5 percent on May 19.
Miami-Dade's rates went to 7.04 percent from 8.29, a two-week low of 6.29 two days ago and a high of 9.45 Nov. 17. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate went from 6.17 percent to 7.53, and a two-week low of 6.27 percent six days ago and a two-week high of 8.04 on Nov. 14.
St. Lucie's rate went from a two-week low of 4.70 percent to 6.89 and two-week high of 10.4 three days ago. Martin's rate went from 4.84 percent to 6.60, as well as a two-week low of 3.85 Nov. 14 and a two-week high of 10.3 three days ago. Indian River's rate was a two-week low of 3.77 one day after 6.18 and a two-week high of 8.71 two days ago. Okeechobee's rate was 3.5 on 192 negative tests one day after a two-week low of 1.43 on 207 negative tests and a two-week high of 25.0 percent on 39 negative tests three days ago. On Nov. 1 it was zero percent on 31 negative tests Nov. 1.
MORTALITY
The mortality rate compares positive cases against deaths. The state's rate was 1.9 percent for all deaths and cases, including nonresidents, compared with 2.0 percent in the United States and 2.3 percent worldwide, which neared 1,458,000 deaths and neared 62.6 million cases Saturday, according to Worldometers.info.
County rates: Palm Beach County 2.6 percent, Broward 1.6, Miami-Dade 1.7 , St. Lucie 3.4 percent, Martin 2.8, Indian River 2.8 percent, Okeechobee 2.1.
Deaths per million: Florida 859, U.S. 823, world 187.0. New York, which represents 13.0 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,772 per million.
AGE BREAKDOWN
Five deaths are among youths 14 and under, including a 6-year-old from Hillsborough, two 11-year-olds, a boy in Miami-Dade and a girl in Broward. The class hasn't changed since Sept. 26.
Four other juveniles are among the 32 deaths in the 15-24 class, including a 16-year-old girl in Miami-Dade. This class has increased since Sept. 24 and at one time it was 33 then there was a reduction.
Ages 25-34: 110 people with an increase of 3.
55 and older: 93 percent of fatalities. Smaller percentage tested positive – 27 percent age 55 and older and 6 percent 75 and older.
85 and older: 5,857 people 85 and older, an increase of 24 in one day.
Infant to 4: 16,450 cases, an increase of 94, and 360 were hospitalized, which went up by 1. Ages 5-14: 45,962 cases, an increase of 376, with 329 in the hospital at one time, which rose by 1.
Infant to 54 age group: 701,400 of the 969,813 residents' cases. In that group, 1,203 have died with an increase of 7 for a 0.17 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 827,407 cases. A total of 3,239 have died, with 15 more, for a 0.39 percentage.
CITIES
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 15,927 with an increase of 58. No. 2 Boca Raton went rose by 87 to 10,555. No. 3 Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, rose by 40 to 10,303. No. 4 Boynton Beach is at 5,982 from 5,916. No. 5 Delray Beach at 4,630 vs. 4,607.
Port St. Lucie leads the Treasure Coast with 6,877, rising 60, followed by Fort Pierce at 3,747, with an increase of 33, and Stuart at 3,020, a rise of 13.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, remained at 504 with only 3 on May 31.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
A total of 54,591 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 53,266 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
Palm Beach County: 4,543, with 10 more compared with 31 day before. Martin remained at 451, St. Lucie by 21 to 886, Indian River by 3 to 417 and Okeechobee stayed at 214.
LONG-TERM CARE
Thirty-nine percent of the deaths, 7,257 are residents and staff of long-term care with increase of 24. Palm Beach County second at 755 with no change. Miami-Dade leads with 862.
NATION
Deaths
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 266,047, a rise of a world-high 1,189 Saturday, with the record 2,609 on April 15, according to Johns Hopkins.
Weekly changes: Last Saturday in the U.S., there were 1,429 more deaths and 178,073 cases. The one-week death increase was 10,083 at 3.9 percent.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 New York: increase of 37 at 34,514 after daily high of 799 in April. Hopkins lists confirmed and probable deaths, with the latter not a positive case. No. 2 Texas: increase of 102 at 21,309. No. 3 California: increase of 56 at 19,089. No. 5: New Jersey: increase of 37 at 16,965.
Among states in top 10: No. 6 Illinois U.S.-high 108, No. 7 Massachusetts 40, No. 8 Pennsylvania 41, No. 9 Georgia 29 and No. 10 Michigan 103.
Also, No. 14 Indiana 69, No. 37 South Dakota 54, No. 11 Arizona 36. No. 27 Washington, the original epicenter in the U.S., reported no data.
Cases
Cases increased to 13,244,417 with a rise of 155,596, one day after a record 203,117 with many states reporting two days of data, according to Johns Hopkins.
Top-ranked states: No. 1 California at 1,183,320 with 11,996 more three days after a U.S. record 18,350. No. 2 Texas 1,151,069 with 3,954 three days after a state-record 14,648. No. 4 Illinois at 712,936 with 7,873after 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 634,438 with an increase of 6,063.
Twenty-six states reported at least 2,000 cases. States with high numbers included No, 17 Minnesota with 9,040 (two days), No. 9 Michigan with 8,080, No. 7 Ohio with 6,895, No. 10 Tennessee with 6,750, No. 26 Oklahoma with 6,257, No. 8 Wisconsin with 5,033, No. 14 Indiana with 4,535, No. 15 Arizona with 4,136, No. 22 Colorado with 3,891, No. 11 North Carolina with 3,444, No. 19 Virginia with 3,173, No. 13 New Jersey with 3,080.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 13.2 percent of the 9,240 deaths three days after record 12,242 deaths and 18.7 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
Weekly changes: Last Saturday there were 9,308 deaths and 596,131 cases. The one-week death increase was 71,224 at 5.1 percent.
Cases: Increased by 574,472 after a record 662,911 on Nov. 13 with 500,00 passing for the first time Oct. 28 and 400,000 for the first time on Oct. 15.
No. 2 Brazil: 639 deaths to rise to 172,637. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 51,922 cases and is third at 6,290,272.
No. 3 India: 485 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 136,200 and in third place. Cases: 41,322 more compared with a record 97,894 and is second in the world behind the U.S. with 9,351,`09.
No. 4 Mexico: 586 deaths compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 105,459 in fourth place: Cases: 10,008 one day after record 12,081.
Europe: Coronavirus is surging at record cases levels and deaths that are the highest since the spring with nations instituting lockdowns. The continent reported 4,268 new deaths and 193,685 cases.
Five European nations are in the top 10. No. 5 United Kingdom 479 deaths, behind the record 1,166 April 21, as well 15,871 cases after a record 33,470 on Nov. 12. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter, 686 deaths, which is behind a record 921 on March 28, and 26,323 cases after record 40,896 on Nov. 13. No. 7 France 213 deaths, after 932 deaths on Nov. 13 that was the most since a record of 1,437 in April, as well as 12,580 cases after a record 86,852 on Oct. 31 and is fourth overall with 2,208,699. No. 9 Spain reported no data one day after 294 deaths and 8,348 cases. No.10 Russia 510 deaths two days after a 524 and 27,100 cases one day after a record 27,543 cases and is fifth overall with 2,242,633.
No. 8 Iran: 391 deaths after a record 486 on Nov. 16, and 13,402 cases one day after a record 14,051 cases.
No. 24 Canada: 82 deaths for a total of 11,976 and 5,746 cases after record 6,131 on Sunday. Ukraine passed Canada with 184 more deaths and is at 12,093 as well as record 16,294 cases.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" with no lockdown, reported no data and is at 6,681. Neighboring Norway reported no deaths one day after a record 22 to remain at 328, as well as 353 more cases.
China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26 and recently dropped to 36th. China added 11 cases Sunday.
Japan: 14 deaths to rise to 2,123, including 13 on a ship, and record 2,684 cases.