Another 228 deaths reported from COVID-19

Officials report 6,218 new virus cases in state

Florida reported 228 new deaths Friday, one day after the state crossed a grim marker of more than 9,000 people in the state who have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

The additional deaths in the state put the total who have died from the new coronavirus at 9,276.

The 228 deaths represent a jump from 148 on Thursday and a decline from the record 277 coronavirus deaths reported Wednesday. However, these daily totals do not reflect deaths in only the past 24 hours, but rather from recent weeks.

State health officials also reported 6,218 new infections Friday, putting the total infections in the state at 557,137 since the start of the pandemic.

Florida’s new COVID-19 cases remain far below record highs, with Friday marking the 20th straight day the state has reported fewer than 10,000 cases in a day. The peak for one day was 15,300 cases reported on July 12.

However, Friday’s case total of 6,218 represents only a small decrease from Thursday’s 6,236 reported cases. Test results reported on a single day typically reflect tests taken over several days.

The daily COVID-19 testing positivity rate over the past two weeks has ranged from 11.9% to 8.08%, and was 8.08% based on Thursday’s test results, records show. The state processed 79,550 results over the previous day. In total, more than 4.1 million people in the state have been tested for the virus.

Public health experts say the positivity rate shows the prevalence of the disease in the population. The World Health Organization had advised governments that before reopening, the rate should remain at 5% or lower for at least 14 days.

South Florida

South Florida, which accounts for 29% of Florida’s population, reported 3,403 new cases in the past day, or 54.7% of the daily total

for the state.

Broward County: 657 new coronavirus cases were reported Friday, bringing the total to 65,337. The median age of those infected in the county is 38. A total of 914 people in Broward have died from the virus, 31 more than reported Thursday.

Palm Beach County: 360 new cases, bringing the total to 38,575. A total of 974 people have died, 10 more than reported the previous day. The median age of those infected in the county is 42.

Miami-Dade County: 1,693 new cases, bringing the total to 142,667. A total of 1,999 people have died. That’s 45 more than reported Thursday. The median age of those infected in the county is 42.

The most recent data concerning infections among children under age 18 show 59,408 have been tested for COVID-19 statewide. About 14.1% of them, or 8,399, have tested positive.

South Florida has 3,935, of the cases involving children. That includes 2,213 cases in Miami-Dade County, highest in the state, 1,261 in Broward and 461 in Palm Beach County.

Testing and positivity rate

A total of 4.12 million people have been swabbed in Florida since the pandemic began, producing a positivity rate of 13.49%. The state reports that 3.56 million

people have tested negative. At the end of May, Florida’s positivity rate was about 5.6%.

In South Florida, the positivity rates on Friday were 7.6% for Broward, a drop from Thursday’s 9%; 10.9% for Miami-Dade, down from 12.8%; and 6.5% for Palm Beach County, slightly down from 7.1% the prior day.

In July, Miami-Dade had reported a staggering 26% positivity rate and officials made a goal to get it below 10%.

Hospitalizations

Across the state, 5,902 people were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 as of noon Friday. The state’s online tool updates several times throughout the day.

The number of people in hospitals for COVID-19 has been declining in August as has the number of people in intensive care units. The total hospitalized for the disease two weeks ago was nearly 9,000.

In South Florida, 2,338 people were hospitalized as of noon on Friday. Broward County reported 769 patients hospitalized, Palm Beach County had 363, and Miami-Dade had 1,206, the most in the state.

Just two days ago, on Wednesday, Broward County hospitals had 885 patients with the virus, Palm Beach County had 421 and Miami-Dade had 1,368, according to Florida’s Emergency Surveillance System.

Deaths

Statewide: The official COVID-19 death total for Florida reached 9,276 on Friday. That figure includes 135 people who were not residents. The daily deaths reported often lag the actual date of death by several weeks.

South Florida’s reported deaths on Friday rose by 73 for a total of 3,801. Palm Beach now has a total of 964 deaths from the virus,

Broward has 883 and Miami-Dade has 1,954

COVID-19 is the state’s deadliest infectious disease. Throughout 2019, there were 2,703 deaths attributed to the flu and pneumonia in Florida, records show.

Seniors: At least 3,886 deaths have occurred among residents and staff of nursing homes and longterm care facilities, a figure that represents 42% of the state total for coronavirus deaths of residents.

Miami-Dade County has the highest number of longterm care facility deaths, with 643, or 17.5% of the total. Palm Beach County has had 404 deaths, or 10%, and Broward accounted for 270 deaths, or 7%.

Hialeah Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Miami-Dade County has reported the most deaths in the state: 55 residents.

Nationwide: The U.S. has reported 165,148 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Tracker. Florida has the seventh highest death toll.