Florida reports 4,423 new cases of COVID-19
Eight of the past nine days have had at least 4,000 people test positive
Florida’s COVID-19 case count increased by 4,423 new infection son Wednesday, while the daily testing positivity rate reached its highest level since mid-August, according to state data.
For eight out of the past nine days, Florida reported at least 4,000 residents tested positive for the disease. At the same time, indications are that virus prevalence is up statewide andin South Florida.
Test positivity, for new infections only, was 7.75% in the latest batch of lab results, up from 7.55% a day earlier. This is the highest it has been since Aug. 17, when the rate hit 7.9%, records show. Public health experts said 5% or less or optimal.
Florida has had 821,123 people test positive since the coronavirus pandemic began in March. State statistics show that 2.1% of the cases have turned deadly.
The state Health Department also reported that another 32 residents have died from COVID-19, continuing a downward trend. Most of the fatalities reported Wednesday happened in recentweeks butwere just confirmed in the past day.
At least 17,131 people have died from COVID-19 in Florida, including 209 non-residents who died in the state.
South Florida
Broward County: 422 additional confirmedcases and two more deaths. The county has a known total of 88,381 cases and 1,563 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Thedeath tally includes 29 non-residents.
Palm Beach County: 291 additional cases of COVID-19 and five more deaths. The county now has 53,802 confirmed cases and 1,628 deaths, including 24 non-residents.
Miami-Dade County: 696 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19. The county now has 189,332 confirmed cases and 3,692 deaths, including 22 non-residents. The state on Wednesday subtracted five resident deaths from its tally for the county.
Testing and positivity rates
Public health say the virus is experts consid
ered under control when the COVID-19 test positivity rate is under 5%. Florida exceeds 5% by both of its measures of assessing the rate for testing of residents.
In the first calculation, the state reported a daily positivity rate of 7.75% on Wednesday, up from 7.55% on Tuesday. This method of calculating positivity counts new infections only, but also counts repeat negative tests, which skews the figure downward.
In the second calculation, which includes retests of people who were previously diagnosed, the statewide daily positivity rate is 9.33% based on the latest results for 61,931 residents. That’s up from8.92% the previous day.
Broward County: Daily positivity rate of 7.04% for people with new infections only. That’s up from 6.57% the previous day.
Palm Beach County: Daily positivity rate of 7.61% for people with new infections only, downfrom8.34% the previous day.
Miami Dade County: Daily positivity rate of6.79% for people with new infections only. That’s up from 6.46% the previous day.
The number of people hospitalized in Florida for COVID-19 remained mostly unchanged in the past day, updated state records show.
As of 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, 2,485 people across the state were hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19. That’s a decrease of three patients from about 24 hours earlier.
In South Florida, Broward County reported 248 patients hospitalized, down by three; Palm BeachCounty had 158, down by four; and Miami-Dade had the most in the state with 334, a increase of 11.
The online report from the state Agency for Health Care Administration updates frequently throughout the day. Hospitalizations hit a peak in late July of about9,500 patients. Four weeks ago, the number was about 2,100.
Since the pandemic began, 49,889 residents have been hospitalized for the disease, state health officials say.
Deaths
Statewide: Wednesday’s report shows a total of 16,922 Floridians dead. In addition, the deaths of 209 non-residents have been attributed to the virus. State health officials recently said they are reviewing each death to ensure the overall count is accurate.
Florida has the fourth-highest total of COVID-19 deaths among the states, behind California, Texas and New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Florida’s death rate since the pandemic began ranks ninth among states, tied with Illinois, at 79 deaths per 100,000 people, the CDC reports. That’s higher than the national rate of 70 deaths per 100,000.
Long-term-care facilities: At least 6,819 residents and staff have died at nursing homes and assisted-living centers throughout Florida. That’s another nine reported deaths in the past day.
Miami-Dade County has reported the highest number of death sat long termfacilities, with 850. This number is two fewer than the total on the previous day; no explanation was provided. Palm Beach County is second with 724, a decrease of one death. Broward has reported 449 deaths.