Florida reports 136 more people have died in surge of COVID-19 deaths
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida’s pandemic report Tuesday shows the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 now stands at 5,319, a jump of 136 deaths since the data released 24 hours earlier.
The record daily death total was set last Thursday, with 156. The latest coronavirus death count — including two more non-resident fatalities — is the sixth time since July 9 that the figure has hit triple digits.
Meanwhile, the state Department of Health posted another 9,440 cases of COVID-19. It was the first time in a week that Florida did not have at least 10,000 daily cases.
It’s not a reason to exhale and cheer that Florida is over the crisis. Tuesdays always bring among the lowest case totals of the week.
Florida this month cemented its status as having one of the worst summer outbreaks anywhere in the nation. The state has had an average of 11,172 cases per day over the last seven days.
The new cases reported Tuesday bring the total to 369,834.
SOUTH FLORIDA
South Florida, which accounts for 29% of Florida’s population, reported 4,648 new cases in the past day, or nearly half the daily total for the state, according to the state Department of Health.
Broward County: 1,601 new coronavirus cases were reported Tuesday, bringing the total to 42,577. A total of 542 people have died, five more since Monday.
Palm Beach County: 525 new cases were reported, bringing the total to 26,951. A total of 716 people have died, 16 more since Monday.
Miami-Dade County: 2,522 new cases, bringing the total to 89,557. A total of 1,341 people have died. That’s 16 more than Monday.
TESTING AND THE POSITIVITY RATE
Florida says it has tested 3.1 million people since the pandemic began, and 11.9% have been positive.
Florida on Tuesday reported a 13.6% positivity rate for tests statewide in the previous 24-hour period. The rate was 15% for Broward County, 19.2% for Miami-Dade and 13% for Palm Beach.
The daily positivity rate is a closely watched figure, since it’s one of the numbers that indicates the prevalence of the disease in the population. In May, Florida’s positivity rate was around 5%.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
The number of people being treated for COVID-19 at hospitals remained mostly unchanged Tuesday, following an upward trend that has put pressure on staff, supplies and available beds.
The total stood at 9,479 as of 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration. About 24 hours earlier, the same report listed 9,475 patients.
Miami-Dade County has the most people hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of the new coronavirus: 2,056, an increase of four since Monday. Next is Broward with 1,288, up by 27 since Monday. Palm Beach County has 601, a decrease of 23.
The state also reported that 21,780 Florida residents have been hospitalized since the start of the pandemic.
DEATHS
Statewide: The official COVID-19 death total for Florida stood Tuesday at 5,319. That figure includes 113 non-residents. The three South Florida counties account for 2,599 deaths, which is 48.9% of the state total.
Nationwide: Florida’s death rate was about in the middle compared with other states. Florida’s death rate per 100,000 people was 23.4, according to COVID Data Tracker from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The death rate is much higher in New York City with 278.7 deaths per 100,000. California has had 19.4 deaths per 100,000, and Texas has had 13.8 deaths per 100,000.
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