Florida COVID update for Monday: 1,606 cases added, lowest recorded since October

Florida’s Department of Health on Monday announced 1,606 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 — the lowest single-day case count recorded since October. The state also announced 28 new deaths. Of those who died, 27 were residents.

Monday’s case count is the lowest reported since Oct. 12, when 1,533 cases were added. Mondays, like Sundays, usually have a lower case count because less data is processed during the weekend.

On Monday, the state reported the results of 49,857 residents tested the day prior, the lowest reported since April 11. The state’s percent positivity decreased from 3.91%% to 3.75%.

The state has recorded a known total of 2,311,941 coronavirus cases and 37,235 deaths. Among those who died, 36,501 were residents and 734 were nonresidents.

More than 7.9 million Floridians have completed the two-dose series of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna or have completed Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine, according to Monday’s vaccine report.

COVID-19 in Florida

▪ Miami-Dade County reported 396 new cases and one death, putting its pandemic totals at 498,953 cases and 6,372 deaths. In Miami-Dade, 350,956 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna and 1,131,383 people have either received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or have completed the two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna. Percent positivity decreased from 3.21% to 3.05%.

▪ Broward County reported 163 new cases and reduced its death toll by one, putting its pandemic totals at 243,788 cases and 3,051 deaths. Health officials have previously said that death toll reductions occur if they learn that the person who died lives in another county.

In Broward, 218,945 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna and 744,690 people have either received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or have completed the two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna. Percent positivity decreased from 2.98% to 2.72%.

▪ Palm Beach County reported 53 new cases and eight deaths, bringing its cumulative count to 147,786 cases and 2,853 deaths. In Palm Beach, 140,454 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna and 585,427 people have either received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or have completed the two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna. Percent positivity decreased from 3.37% to 2.76%.

▪ Monroe County added four new cases and no new deaths. Pandemic totals in the Keys are at 7,080 cases and 50 deaths. In Monroe, 9,712 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna and 31,988 people have either received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or have completed the two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna. Percent positivity decreased from 7.44% to 4.35%.

▪ Manatee County reported 20 new cases and one death, putting its pandemic totals at 39,626 cases and 685 deaths. In Manatee, 33,968 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna and 150,996 people have either received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or have completed the two-dose series of Pfizer or Moderna. Percent positivity decreased from 4.21% to 3.74%.

Florida COVID-19 Hospitalizations

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration reports the number of patients hospitalized statewide with a “primary diagnosis of COVID.” The data, which is updated at least every hour, does not distinguish between the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital intensive care units and those in acute-care beds, which require less attention from nurses.

Government officials use current hospitalizations to decide the next steps in fighting the pandemic.

As of 3:20 p.m. Monday, the agency said there were 2,125 people hospitalized. Of these, Miami-Dade had 395; Broward, 257; Palm Beach, 119; Monroe, 2; and Manatee, 29, the agency said.

According to Miami-Dade’s New Normal Dashboard, county hospitals have reported 431 COVID-19 patients, up from 422 on Sunday. There were 27 new patients and 27 were discharged.

State hospitalization data doesn’t always match Miami-Dade’s New Normal Dashboard data for various reasons, including the frequency of daily updates.

An earlier version of this story had the incorrect statewide positivity rate.

Miami Herald staff writer Carli Teproff contributed to this report.