Florida reports 3,255 new COVID-19 cases
147 more people dead from virus
Florida reported Thursday that another 3,255 people have tested positive for COVID-19, and the state also confirmed another 147 deaths linked to the disease.
The overall coronavirus pandemic totals for the state are 13,247 deaths, including 161 nonresidents, and at least 674,456 cases.
But the latest data from the state Department of Health is part of a downward trend, which has prompted South Florida to enter Phase 2 reopenings. Officials point out that daily testing positivity rates are below 5%, indicating the prevalence of the virus has tailed off after July highs of about15%.
The state’s daily statistical reports list newly confirmed deaths tied to COVID-19, but these are people who died over recentweeks not in the last 24 hours. Officials don’t disclose whether these people had underlying health conditions.
Still, the average for past seven days is 109 deaths per day.
New cases across Florida reached the highest total since last Friday. It’s an increase over the 2,355 infections reported Wednesday and 3,116 cases reported Tuesday.
The1,736newcases listed onMonday’s reportwas the lowestnumberin over three months.
The cases reported on a single day follow a lag between the collection of swabs over several days and the confirmation of positive results.
South Florida
the reported
Broward County: 216 newcoronavirus caseswere reported Thursday, bringing the total to 75,048. At least 1,337 people in Broward were reported to have died, 14 more than Wednesday’s total.
Palm Beach County: 224 new cases were reported Thursday, bringing the total to 44,683. Atotal of 1,264 deaths were reported, 20 more thanWednesday.
Miami-Dade County: 448 new cases were reported Thursday, bringing the total to 165,147. A total of 2,997 people in MiamiDadewere reported to have died from COVID-19. That’s 22 more than Wednesday’s total.
Testing
More than 5 million people have been tested for COVID-19 in Florida since the pandemic began, producing an overall positivity rate of 13.44%, state data show. At least 674,456 people have tested positive and 4.33 million people have tested negative.
The latest state report shows the daily positivity rate at 4.46%, up from 4.44% the previous day. This figure reflects only new infections based on COVID-19 testing for the day; it does not count people who previously tested positive for the disease.
Statewide positivity has been less than 5% for nine out of the last12 days. Public health experts say the virus is under control in this range.
In South Florida, the cumulative positivity rates are 18.94% for Miami-Dade County, 13.83% for Broward County and 12.77% for Palm Beach County.But the daily rates have declined for severalweeks.
The daily positivity rates reported Thursday were 2.75% for Broward County, down from 2.91% the previous day; 4.09% for Palm Beach County, up from 4.04%; and 3.76% for MiamiCounty, down from 4.47%.
Thursday’s data report shows test results for 80,707 Florida residents, up from 57,154 results reported the previous day, and 68,961 results two days ago. These results include retests of people who were previously diagnosed.
Hospitalizations
Since the pandemic began, a total of 42,047 residents have been hospitalized for the disease in Florida, according to the Department ofHealth.
As of noon Thursday, 2,381 people were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 across the state.
Broward County reported 247 patients; Palm Beach County had 151; and Miami-Dade had the most in the state with 374.
The online report from the state Agency for Health Care Administration updates several times throughout the day. Hospitalizations have been declining since hitting a peak in late July.
Deaths
Statewide: The official COVID-19 report, updated Thursday, shows 13,086 Florida resident deaths. In addition, 161 nonresident deaths have been attributed to the virus in the state.
Long-term care facilities: At least 5,377 deaths have occurred among residents and staff of nursing homes and assisted-living centers throughout the state, 57more than reported Tuesday.
Miami-Dade County reported the highest number of deaths at these facilities, with 765; Palm Beach County reported 543, and Broward 384.
Global view
World: The novel coronavirus has infected more than 29.9 million peopleand killed at least 942,076 worldwide as of about 11:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University’s Coronavirus Resource Center.
U.S.: The United States has 6.64 million cases, the highest total in the world, with at least 197,091 deaths, the most of any country. The U.S. has 4.3% of the world’s population, but 22.2% of the world’s cases and 20.92% of the world’s deaths.
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