WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's coronavirus deaths increased by 66, the seventh day in a row they didn't rise by triple digits, as cases rose by 4,115, the second consecutive day they were more than 4,000, the Florida Health Department announced Wednesday. Also, Palm Beach County's daily first-time positivity rate dropped significantly from a 2 1/2-month high of 8.28 percent to 4.95 with the state going from 6.29 percent to 5.44 percent.
Palm Beach County's positivity rate is usually a lower rate than the state.
The state has considered anything about 5 percent a danger "threshold."
Palm Beach County's first-time percentage, which was based on 4,588 negative tests, was the ninth time in 14 days it was below 5 percent. The rate the day before was the highest since 8.81 on Aug. 10, not including a date dump when it was 8.68 two weeks ago. The two-week low was 2.60 on Aug. 18 and it was 1.92 on Oct. 11, which was the smallest since 1.5 percent on May 19.
Florida's first-time daily infection rate of tests reported by labs Tuesday was the 11th time in 14 days it was below 6 percent with the two-week high of 6.72 Oct. 20 and a low of 3.65 four days ago.
The state's total daily positivity rate for all tests decreased to 6.49 percent on 80,753 tests received Tuesday from 7.77 on 73,768 tests. The 14-day high was 8.02 seven days ago and the low was 4.64 four days ago. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27 and the record test total was 142,964 July 11.
Cases surpassed 4,000 for the fifth time in 11 days. But Wednesday's figure was 183 less than 4,298 Tuesday
They increased by 3,377 Monday, the most on a Monday since 4,155 on Aug. 10. On Sunday they rose by 2,385 after 4,471 on Saturday. On Thursday they climbed by 5,557, 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. The increase one Saturday ago was 4,044.
Last Wednesday's increase was 2,145.
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.
Deaths rose by 56 on Tuesday after 20 Monday and 12 on Sunday, the least since 5 on Sept. 23 after 77 on Saturday, 73 Friday and 57 Thursday.
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 increased by 3 to 1,568, which is second to Miami-Dade and ahead of Broward after an increase of 3 Tuesday.
On the Treasure Coast, St. Lucie rose by 2 to 333, Martin remained 164 and Indian River stayed at 125. Okeechobee is still 38 with its first two fatalities on July 25.
Broward didn't change and has gained only one death in one week, and Miami-Dade rose by 9.
With a net increase of 6 deaths in South Florida of the 66 state total, which is 9.1 percent, there are 7,373, which is 44.4 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, which is 236 days, the death toll has reached 16,571 for an average of 70 per day. Florida's total including nonresidents is 16,775, which remained at 204.
In one week cases have risen by 27,892 for an average of 3,984 at 3.7 percent. The previous week the increase was 20,902 with an average of 2,986.
The number of deaths over one week is 361, an average of 52, compared with 615 the previous week.
State and county increases represent fatalities received by the state Tuesday 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: 64 on Oct. 7.
The state report Wednesday identified 65 deaths with 1 previously reported case added as a fatality for a net increase of 66.
Florida's total of 790,426 cases is 8.9 percent of the total infections in the U.S. though the state only comprises 6.5 percent of the population.
On Sunday, Sept. 27, cases passed 700,000 after surpassing 600,000 Aug. 23.
Palm Beach County's daily cases increased by 243 one day after 361. On Sept. 28, the rise was 27.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 210 compared with 231 the day before. The state reported Wednesday there are currently 2,337 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which is 10 less than Tuesday.
Deaths
Since June 16, Florida has climbed seven spots from 11th place in the nation to fourth.
Texas is in second place with the addition of a U.S.-high 105 deaths Wednesday after a state-record 324 on Aug. 11, for a total of 17,700. California reported 75 and is in third place with 17,475. New Jersey, which had been second throughout the pandemic, is in fifth place with 16,324, adding 18 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 15 deaths over seven days for 1.0 percent. The U.S. figure is 2.5 percent with the world at 3.8 percent.
Miami-Dade rose to 3,625 with 53 more in seven days. Broward is at 1,520 with the increase of just 1. St. Lucie has gone up by 12 deaths compared with Martin no change, Indian River by 2 and Okeechobee by 1.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 20 states, including Kentucky's 1,442 with 14 reported Wednesday.
Pinellas remained at 818 deaths in fourth place, Hillsborough by 20 to 782 in fifth, Polk stayed at 615 in sixth, Orange by 3 to 5496 in seventh and Lee by 1 to 510 in eighth.
The state report Wednesday identified one death in Palm Beach County, an 84-year-old man, though the increase was 3. St. Lucie County increased by 2 but none were identified.
Cases
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 3.7 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 790,426, third in the nation and eighth in cases per million. The average over 241 days is 3,280 per day.
California has the most cases in the U.S. at 908,713 with 4,515 more. Texas had 5,175 and is second overall with 879,994. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 500,677 with an increase of 2,025. No. 5 Illinois had a U.S.-high 6,110, just 51 behind the state record Thursday, and No. 11 Wisconsin reported 5,815.
In Palm Beach County, new cases have been much lower since the record 1,171 July 5. The total now is 41,415, including residents and nonresidents.
Miami-Dade's cases were 746 compared with 727 the day before and Broward's increase was 555 vs. 376. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day was Martin 260 vs. 20, St. Lucie 43 vs. 59, Indian River 39 vs. 27 and Okeechobee 4 vs. 7.
Testing
Florida's total number of people tested is 6,135,067 with an additional reported 75,067, which is 28.6 percent of the state's population 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 5.39 percent one day after 5.61, a two-week high of 5.83 two days ago and a two-week low of 2.45 four days ago. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was a two-week high of 7.39 percent after 5.75 and a two-week low of 2.82 four days ago.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie's rate was 4.96 percent after 9.05 one day ago, a two-week high of 9.34 seven days ago and a low of 3.64 Oct. 15. Martin's rate was 6.93 percent after 5.43, a two-week low of 1.03 Oct. 17 and a two-week high of 6.94 Oct. 16. Indian River's rate was 6.06 percent after 7.4, a two-week high of 8.8 three days ago and a low of 3.33 on Oct. 19. Okeechobee's rate was 2.08 percent on 188 negative tests after 10.61 on 59 negative tests, a two-week high of 15.66 on 70 tests Oct. 19 and a low of 1.15 on 172 negative tests five days ago.
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 2.6 percent in the United States and 2.6 percent worldwide, which neared 1,179,000 deaths and neared 44.8 million cases Wednesday, according to Worldometers.info.
Palm Beach County's rate is 3.1 percent 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, 3.3 percent (-0.1) in Indian River and Okeechobee 2.2 percent, which is the highest ever.
Florida has 772 deaths per 1 million people, which ranks 10th in the nation compared with the U.S. average of 703 per million. New York, which represents 14.7 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,728 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 151.2 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 31 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-eight people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with no change.
A total of 5,290 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 23 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 13,168 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 70, and 317 were hospitalized, which went up by 1. From ages 5-14, there are 34,398, an increase of 248, with 295 in the hospital at one time, which went up by 1.
From the infant to 54 age group, there are 562,728 of the 780,220 residents' cases. In that group, 1,090 have died, with an increase of 2, for a 0.19 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 663,983 cases. A total of 2,918 have died, with 7 more, for a 0.44 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 12,396 with an increase of 45. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, increased by 29 to 8,433, followed by Boca Raton at 7,795 up from 7,741, Boynton Beach went to 4,5432 from 4,514 and Delray Beach at 3,496 vs. 3,489. A total of 1,496 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 5,320, an increase of 27, followed by Fort Pierce at 3,058, up 10, and Stuart with 2,464, which rose by 13.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, increased by 3 to 431 compared with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 47,772 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 47,628seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 4,137 in Palm Beach County, with an increase of 18 compared with 30 the day before. Martin rose by 2 to 423, St. Lucie by 2 to 778, Indian River stayed at 343 and Okeechobee by 1 to 196.
Long-term care
Forty percent of the deaths, 6,688 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 714 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 843 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 24 and Palm Beach County wet up by 1.
Nation
Since the first death was reported on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 227,673, a rise of 982, according to Johns Hopkins. Worldometers.info has tabulated 233,130 deaths with an increase of 1,030.
Cases rose to 8,855,180, a rise of 77,758, behind 83,718 Saturday and the record of 83,757 Friday. COVID Tracking Project lists the case increase as 78,661, behind the mark of 83,010 three days earlier.
Last Wednesday in the U.S., there were 1,124 more deaths and 62,748 cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 5,597 at 2.5 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation at 33,435, with Johns Hopkins reporting 2 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 Massachusetts 36, No. 7 Illinois 51, No. 8 Pennsylvania 31, No. 9 Georgia 32 and No. 10 Michigan 21.
Also, No. 11 Arizona reported 14 deaths, as well as an additional 1,043cases. Washington, the original epicenter in the United States, reported 14.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 14.5 percent of 7,104 additional deaths Wednesday, the most since 7,308 on July 22, and 19.8 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
The one week world death increase was 42,639 at 3.8 percent.
Last Tuesday's death increase was 6,178.
Cases increased by a record 504,419, surpassing half a million for the first time after passing 400,000 for the first time 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 487 deaths Wednesday to rise to 158,468. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 28,852 cases at 5,469,755 in third place.
India reported 43,893 new cases compared with a world-record 97,894, for second-place behind the U.S. with 7,990,322. Also, India recorded 508 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 120,010 and in third place.
Mexico announced 495 more deaths late Wednesday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 90,309 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 2,504 deaths, 245,787 cases Wednesday, nearly half the world fatality total.
Four European nations are in the top 10. The United Kingdom reported 310 deaths with the daily high 1,172 for 45,675 in fifth place, as well as 24,701 cases six days after a record 26,688. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported 205 and a record 24,991 cases. No. 7 France announced 244 deaths, as well as 36,437 cases, three days after a record 52,010. No. 8 Spain reported 168 deaths and is 119 behind France, and 19,765 cases, five days after a record 20,986.
No. 9 Peru announced 58 deaths and No. 10 Iran a record 410, one day after the mark of 346.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 1,563,976, including 16,202 two days after a record 17,347. The nation gained a record 346, one day after the mark of 320 deaths in 13th.
No. 21 Canada reported 31 deaths for a total of 10,032 and 2,699 cases, one day 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 7 deaths and is at 5,927. Neighboring Norway reported no deaths to remain at 280, as well as 254 more cases.
No. 33 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 47 cases Thursday.