Florida COVID update for Saturday: 4,690 new cases, 98 deaths. Positivity dips below 5%

Howard Cohen, Devoun Cetoute
·3 min read

Florida’s Department of Health on Saturday announced 4,690 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. The state also announced 107 total new deaths. Of those who died, 98 were residents.

The state has now recorded a known total of 1,940,897 coronavirus cases and 32,200 total deaths. Among those who died, 31,620 were residents and 580 were nonresidents.

On Saturday, the state reported the results of 95,406 residents tested on Friday. The state’s percent positivity for first-time testers decreased from 5.12% to 4.91% — bringing the number below the coveted 5% mark, albeit this is for one day’s report.

Two counties — Palm Beach and Monroe — also dipped under 5% in Saturday’s report.

About 1.9 million Floridians have completed the vaccination series as more sites open and more people become eligible to receive either Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

In Florida, 1,902,314 have completed the vaccination series, which means the current number of people who have received both Moderna or Pfizer vaccine doses or one Johnson & Johnson dose and are considered fully immunized. Those receiving a first dose of Moderna or Pfizer are 1,60,206 and 3,560 have received the new, single-dose Johnson & Johnson.

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COVID-19 in South Florida

▪ Miami-Dade County reported 964 new cases and 24 deaths, putting its pandemic totals at 418,411 cases and 5,554 deaths. In Miami-Dade, 189,484 people have received the first vaccine dose and 203,923 people have completed the two-dose series of Moderna or Pfizer, and 1,691 have received the single-dose J&J. Percent positivity decreased from 5.82% to 5.33%. The 14-day positivity average was 6.30% on Saturday’s report, according to Miami-Dade New Normal Dashboard.

▪ Broward County added 608 cases and 17 deaths, moving its totals to 198,995 cases and 2,455 deaths. In Broward, 126,537 people have received the first vaccine dose and 169,761 have completed the series of Moderna or Pfizer, and 561 have received the single-dose J&J. Percent positivity decreased from 6.28% to 5.63%.

▪ Palm Beach County reported 324 new cases and reduced the number of deaths by two, without explaining the change. The numbers bring the county’s cumulative count to 123,033 cases and 2,508 deaths. In Palm Beach, 112,033 people have received the first vaccine dose and 185,410 have completed the series of Moderna or Pfizer, and 69 have received the single-dose J&J. Percent positivity decreased from 5.29% to 4.44%

▪ Monroe County added 17 new cases and no new deaths. Pandemic totals in the Keys are 5,975 cases and 46 deaths. In Monroe, 5,603 people have received the first vaccine dose and 7,539 have completed the series of Moderna or Pfizer, and 26 have received the single-dose J&J. Percent positivity decreased from 6.08% to 3.38%.

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Florida COVID-19 hospitalizations

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration reports the number of patient 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 5:46 p.m. Saturday, the agency said there were 3,352 people hospitalized. Of these, Miami-Dade had 551; Broward, 481; Palm Beach, 263; and Monroe, nine, the agency said.

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According to Miami-Dade’s New Normal Dashboard, county hospitals have reported 604 COVID-19 patients, down from 597 on Friday. There were 70 new patients, and 92 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.