WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's coronavirus cases rose by 3,356, the most in more than one month, as additional deaths more than doubled in one day to a U.S.-high 141, the Florida Department of Health announced Thursday. Also, the state's first-time daily positivity rate slightly dropped to 5.20 percent with Palm Beach County back under 4 percent.
Although new cases are exponentially lower than a U.S. high of 15,300 in July, the number of infections are more than the previous week like most of the United States.
In one week, cases have risen by 18,975, which averages 2,710 per day, at 2.6 percent. One week ago, the increase was 16,869 at 2.4 percent.
Infections climbed by 2,883 Wednesday, 3,306 last Thursday and 3,573 on Sept. 19, the most since then. The last time cases were more than 4,000 was 4,684 on Aug. 22.
Florida's first-time daily infection rate of tests reported to labs was 0.19 percent lower than 5.39 the day before. The two-week low of 3.74 was Oct. 3 and the high of 7.86 four days ago when the state was dealing with a massive data dump. Palm Beach County's rate decreased to 3.76 percent from a two-week high of 4.51, not including the data dump, and three days after 1.88, which was the lowest since 1.5 percent on May 19. The previous low was 2.14 on Sept. 27.
The state's total daily positivity rate for all tests was 6.7 percent on 69,935 tests received Wednesday after 6.65 on 57,269 tests. The highest percentage was 9.24 percent five days ago and the lowest 4.43 four days ago. Only 20,987 tests were reported Sept. 27 and the record test total was 142,964 July 11. Palm Beach County had 161 positive tests.
In the state, fatalities rose by 64 Wednesday and 164 last Thursday.
The one-day increase one week ago was the most since 174 on Wednesday, Sept. 30. The record was 276 deaths on Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Since the first two deaths were announced on March 6, which is 223 days, the death toll has reached 15,736, with an average of 71 per day, with the total including nonresidents 15,932, which increased by 3 to 196.
It took 12 days for the death toll to pass 15,000 Thursday, 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. Nearly three month ago, July 20, there were 5,075 deaths.
State and county increases represent fatalities received by the state Wednesday 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 Sept. 15.
In the state report Thursday, 133 deaths were added, including 8 in Palm Beach County, with 8 cases changed for a net increase of 141.
Palm Beach County's death toll increased by 7 to 1,472, third highest in the state behind Miami-Dade and Broward, after an increase of 5 the day before. On the Treasure Coast, St. Lucie rose by 1 to 311, Martin increased by 2 to 153, Indian River climbed by 2 to 121. Okeechobee rose by 2 to 37 deaths with its first two fatalities on July 25.
Broward increased by 8 and Miami-Dade by 16.
With a net increase of 38 deaths in South Florida of the 141 state total, which is 19.5 percent, there are 7,087, which is 45.0 percent of the state figure though the population only comprises 30 percent.
Monday's increased cases were 1,533. One Monday ago, 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.
Florida's total of 744,988 cases is nearly 10 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 more than one month ago, Aug. 23.
Cases in Florida have been trending lower, including in South Florida.
Palm Beach County's daily cases increased by 159 after 161. On Sept. 28, the rise was 27.
Florida's new hospitalizations rose by 211 compared with 257 the day before. The state reported Thursday there are currently 2,122 hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19, which is 28 less than Wednesday.
Deaths
Florida is in fifth place in the United States in fatalities. On June 16, Florida was in 11th place in the nation.
Texas is in second place with the addition of 95 deaths after a state-record 324 on Aug. 11, for a total of 16,812. California reported 118 and is in third place with 16,757, which is 55 behind Texas. New Jersey, which had been second throughout the pandemic, is in fourth place with 16,197, adding 6 fatalities.
Deaths rose by 668 in the state over seven days (a daily average of 95) for 4.4 percent, a figure tally that had been more than 1,200 deaths recently. Before that, the one-week figure was in the mid 200s. Palm Beach County increased by 56 for 4.0 percent. The U.S. figure is 2.3 percent with the world at 3.4 percent.
Miami-Dade rose to 3,501 with 114 more in one week. Broward increased to 1,492 with an increase of 49 in one week. St. Lucie has gone up by 14 deaths in one week compared with Martin by 9, Indian River 2 and Okeechobee by 7.
Palm Beach County's death count is higher than 20 states, including Kentucky's 1,296 with 20 reported Thursday.
Pinellas increased by 4 to 792 deaths in fourth place and Hillsborough up by 14 to 734 in fifth place, Polk by 6 to 569 in sixth, Orange by 5 to 528 in seventh and Lee by 4 to 489.
On Thursday, the state identified 8 deaths in Palm Beach County, 5 women (88, 89, 91, 93, 98) and 3 men (61, 78, 89) though the net increase was 7. St. Lucie reported a 55-year-old man. Indian River's newly reported death was an 86-year-old woman. Martin added a 70-year-old woman and a 79-year-old man. Okeechobee reported two women (42, 73).
Cases
Since the first two cases were announced on March 1, Florida's total has surged to 3.5 percent of the state's 21.48 million population with 744,988, third in the nation. The average over 228 days is 3,267 per day.
California has the most cases in the U.S. at 858,401 with 3,329. Texas had a U.S.-high 4,615 and is second overall with 809,808. New York, which was the leader during much of the pandemic, is in fourth at 479,400, with an additional 1,460.
Several Midwest states also reported high cases: Illinois with 4,615 and sixth overall, Wisconsin with a record 3,747 and 16th Missouri with a record 3,357 and 19th.
In Palm Beach County, new cases have been much lower since the record 1,171 July 5. The total now is 48,496, including residents and nonresidents.
Miami-Dade's cases were 4538 compared with 434 the day before and Broward's increase was 226 vs. 265. In the Treasure Coast area, the rise over one day, Martin was 13 vs. the same the day before, St. Lucie 43 vs. 27, Indian River 18 vs. 8 and Okeechobee 8 vs. 7.
Testing
Florida's total number of people tested is 5,650,724, which is 26.3 percent of the state's population behind No. 1 California, No. 2 New York, No. 3 Texas and No. 4 Illinois.
The overall Florida positive rate was 13.18 percent from 13.19 the day before.
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 was 5.04 percent compared with 5.08 the day before, a two-week high 6.01 on Oct. 5 not including the day of the data dump and a two-week low of 3.05 on Oct. 4. The rate hit 26.4 on July 8. Broward's rate was 4.07 percent after a two-week high of 4.02 not including the data dump day and a two-week low of 2.08 on Oct. 4.
Elsewhere, St. Lucie's rate was 23.0 percent after a two-week high of 4.10, not including the data dump from 3.81 and a low 2.35 six days ago not including the day after the data dump. Martin's rate was 2.3 percent after a two-week high of 4.10 and a two-week low of 1.11 three days ago. Indian River's rate was 4.49 percent after 2.58, a two-week low of 2.06 two days ago, not including the data dump, and two-week high of 4.82 on Oct. 8. Okeechobee's rate was 8.99 percent on 81 negative tests after 3.45 on 196 negative tests, zero on 22 tests three days ago and a two-week high of 10.26 on Oct. 4, not including the data dump.
Palm Beach County has 48,496 cases out of 391,552 total tested for 12.39 percent overall, not including those awaiting tests and inconclusive.
Miami-Dade leads with 176,809 positive cases out of 973,693 tested for 18.16 percentage, and Broward is second with 80,112 cases and 605,345 tested for 13.23 percentage.
In Martin County, it's 5,115 of 39,861 for 12.83 percent. In St. Lucie, it's 8,486 out of 67,046 for 12.66 percent, Indian River with 3,476 of 39,310 for 8.4 percent and Okeechobee 1,658 of 11,727 for 14.14 percent.
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 2.8 percent in the United States and 2.7 percent worldwide, which passed 1,1,02,000 deaths and passed 39.1 million cases Thursday, according to Worldometers.info.
Palm Beach County's rate is 3.1 percent compared with Broward at 1.9 percent and Miami-Dade with 2.0 percent. With much fewer deaths, the mortality rate is 3.7 percent in St. Lucie, 3.0 in Martin, 3.5 percent in Indian River and Okeechobee 2.2 percent, which is the highest ever.
Florida has 733 deaths per 1 million people compared with the U.S. average of 672 per million. New York, which represents 15.3 percent of the deaths in the nation, has 1,719 per million. Worldwide, the figure is 141.4 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-four people from 25 to 34 also have died from the virus with no change.
A total of 5,037 people 85 and older have died in the state from the virus, an increase of 53 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 12,548 cases of infants to 4 years old, an increase of 45, and 302 were hospitalized, which went up by 2. From ages 5-14, there are 31,880, an increase of 184, with 282 in the hospital at one time, which went up by 4.
From the infant to 54 age group, there are 530,179 of the 735,685 residents' cases. In that group, 1,052 have died, with an increase of 4, for a 0.20 death percentage. From infant to 64, there are 623,059 cases. A total of 2,788 have died, an increase of 33 for a 0.45 percentage.
Cities
West Palm Beach is in first place among Palm Beach County cities with 11,819 with an increase of 37. Lake Worth, which includes the city and county portion, increased by 13 to 8,080, followed by Boca Raton at 7,200 up from 7,165. Boynton Beach went to 4,277 from 4,263 and Delray Beach at 3,310 vs. 3,299. A total of 1,278 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 5,003, an increase of 25, followed by Fort Pierce at 2,918, up 12, and Stuart with 2,375, which rose by 6.
In Indian River County, Fellsmere, which has a population of 5,754, remained at 420 compared with only 3 on May 31.
Hospitalizations
A total of 46,693 people in the state have been hospitalized, a rise from 45,483 seven days ago. That means it is a running total and includes people who have been released or died.
The number is 3,930 in Palm Beach County, with a increase of 22 compared with 27 the day before; 431 in Martin, which rose by 5; St. Lucie at 726 with an increase of 6, Indian River went up by 1 to 324 and Okeechobee from 187 to 188.
Long-term care
Forty-one percent of the deaths, 6,386 are residents and staff of long-term care, including 664 in Palm Beach County, which is second most in the state behind 829 in Miami-Dade. The state increase was 60 and Palm Beach County went up by 3.
Nation
Since the first death was reported six months ago on Feb. 29, the national toll has risen to 217,754, a rise of 882, according to Johns Hopkins. Worldometers.info has tabulated 222,717 deaths with an increase of 874.
Cases reached 7,975,725 with an increase of 59,626, according to Hopkins. They have exceeded 70,000 seven times, including a record 78,446 on July 24 and the last time was July 31.
Last Thursday in the U.S., there were 961 more deaths and 56,191 cases.
The one week U.S. death increase was 4,992 at 2.3 percent.
New York has the most deaths in the nation at 33,337, with Johns Hopkins reporting an increase of 21 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 25, No. 7 Illinois 53, No. 8 Pennsylvania 15, No. 9 Georgia 22 and No. 10 Michigan 34.
Also, No. 11 Arizona reported 17 deaths, as well as an additional 1,113 cases, the highest in a month. No. 25 Washington, the original epicenter in the United States, reported 11.
Worldwide
The U.S. represented 14.3 percent of 6,107 additional deaths Thursday and 20.2 percent of the world total though its population is only 4.3 percent of the global total.
The one week world death increase was 35,999 at 3.4 percent.
Last Thursday's death increase was 6,424.
Cases increased by a record 398,609, surpassing the previous of 382,138 one day earlier, according to Worldometers.info. The world has been gaining 1 million cases every three days.
Brazil, which is second behind the United States for deaths, initially reported 734 deaths to rise to 152,513. Brazil's record is 1,554 on July 29. The nation added 29,498 cases at 5,1170,996 in third place.
India reported 67,735 cases, compared with a world-record 97,894, for second-place behind the U.S. with 7,307,097. Also, India recorded 680 deaths, behind a national-record 1,299, to rise to 111,266 and in third place.
Mexico announced 389 more deaths late Thursday compared with a high of 1,092 on June 4 for a total of 85,285 in fourth place.
Four European nations are in the top 10 as cases are surging at record levels and deaths are surging on the continent. The United Kingdom reported 138 additional deaths for 43,293 in fifth place with the record daily high 1,172, as well as 18,980 cases, one day after a record 19,724. No. 6 Italy, which at one time was the world's epicenter and reached 919 in one day, reported 83 deaths and a record 8,804 cases. No. 8 Spain reported 140 deaths and 13,318 cases, behind the record 14,087 on Sept. 18. No. 9 France is 387 deaths behind Spain, announcing 88 as well as a record 30,621 cases, shattering the mark of 26,896 five days ago.
No. 7 Peru announced 65 deaths and leads Spain by 24. No. 10 Iran reported 256 deaths one day after a record 279.
Russia is in fourth place in the world in cases with 1,354,163, including 13,754 one day after a record 14,231. The nation gained a record 288 deaths after a previous mark of 244 two days ago and in 13th.
No. 21 Canada reported 35 deaths for a total of 9,699 and 2,345 cases, two days after a record 4,042. Between May 26 and Aug. 30 cases were never more than 1,000.
Sweden, which has been doing "herd immunity" with no lockdown, reported 6 deaths and is at 5,910. Neighboring Norway reported 1 death to rise to 278, as well as 97 more cases.
No. 32 China, the original epicenter of the world, hasn’t reported a death since April 26, added 24 cases Friday.