FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Florida reported 8,892 new COVID-19 cases Monday, its lowest count in nearly three weeks.
The Monday count of new cases, however, is often unusually low because of the weekend. The test results reported on a single day reflect tests taken over several days.
The last time the new case count was lower was July 7, with 7,347, according to statistics from the Florida Department of Health, which produces reports on the disease's status in the state every morning.
The number of deaths increased by 77, pushing the state's total death count to 6,049.
On Saturday Florida surpassed New York State in the total number of COVID-19 cases, leaving only California with more cases than Florida.
SOUTH FLORIDA
South Florida, which accounts for 29% of Florida's population, reported 4,627 new cases in the past day, or 52% of the daily total for the state, according to the state Department of Health.
Broward County: 1,434 new coronavirus cases were reported Sunday, bringing the total to 50,784. A total of 632 people have died, two more than reported Sunday.
Palm Beach County: 633 new cases were reported, bringing the total to 30,958. A total of 773 people have died, three more than reported Sunday.
Miami-Dade County: 2,560 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 107,315. A total of 1,420 people have died. That's 16 more than reported Sunday.
TESTING AND THE POSITIVITY RATE
Florida says it has tested 3.4 million people since the pandemic began, and 12.6% have been positive.
Florida reported an 11.4% positivity rate for tests statewide in the previous 24-hour period, up slightly since Sunday.
The rate was 18.1% for Miami-Dade, 13.3% for Broward and 8.8% for Palm Beach County. Miami-Dade's rate was the same as that reported Sunday, but the rates for Broward and Palm Beach have dropped slightly.
The daily positivity rate is a key 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 about 5%.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
The number of people being treated for COVID-19 at hospitals on Monday increased both in South Florida and statewide.
The total stood at 9,035, as of 12 p.m. EDT Monday, according to the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration. About 24 hours earlier, the same report listed 8,961 patients.
Miami-Dade County has the most people hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of the new coronavirus: 1,963 patients, an increase of 49 since Saturday. Next is Broward with 1,276, up by 16 since Saturday. Palm Beach County has 619 patients, an increase of 13.
DEATHS
Statewide: The official COVID-19 death total for Florida has hit 6,049. That figure includes 118 people who were not residents. The three South Florida counties account for 2,825 deaths, which is 47% of the state total.
Nationwide: Florida's death rate is in the middle compared with other states. Florida's death rate per 100,000 people was 27 as of Monday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The death rate is much higher in New York City with 278 deaths per 100,000. California has reported 21 deaths per 100,000, and Texas has had 17 deaths per 100,000.
Senior care: At least 2,689 deaths have occurred in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, a figure that represents 44% of the state total. Miami-Dade County has the highest number of long-term care facility deaths, with 592, or 22%, of the total. Palm Beach County had 310 deaths, or 12%, and Broward accounted for 201 deaths, or 7%.
GLOBAL VIEW
U.S.: The coronavirus death toll in the United States reached 146,968 as of 12:30 p.m. Monday, according to the Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University.
The United States has reported more than 4.2 million cases, the highest total in the world.
Worldwide: The global total has reached 16.3 million cases, with at least 649,662 deaths, Johns Hopkins reported.
The U.S. has 4.3% of the world's population and 26% of the world's cases.
