Florida COVID update for Friday: 4,165 new cases, 86 resident deaths. Positivity under 5%

Florida’s Department of Health on Friday announced 4,165 new confirmed cases of COVID-19. The state also announced 89 new deaths. Of those who died, 86 were residents.

The state has recorded a known total of 2,262,598 coronavirus cases and 36,346 deaths. Among those who died, 35,635 were residents and 711 were non-residents.

On Friday, the state reported the results of 91,467 residents who were tested the previous day. The state’s positivity rate decreased from 4.99% to 4.70%, the second day in a row under 5%. South Florida counties also held below 5% for the third consecutive day.

More than 6.7 million Floridians have completed the two-dose series of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna or have completed Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine, according to Friday’s vaccine report.

COVID-19 in Florida

▪ Miami-Dade County reported 711 new cases and 14 deaths — putting its pandemic totals at 489,014 cases and 6,232 deaths.

In Miami-Dade, 388,864 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna; additionally, 905,980 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 4.7% to 4.52%. The 14-day average was 5.76% on Thursday’s Miami-Dade New Normal dashboard.

▪ Broward County reported 415 new cases and five deaths, putting its pandemic totals at 239,249 cases and 2,948 deaths.

In Broward, 236,450 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna and 620,969 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 4.61% to 4.11%.

▪ Palm Beach County reported 277 new cases and seven deaths, bringing its cumulative count to 144,892 cases and 2,788 deaths.

In Palm Beach, 176,655 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna and 495,390 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 4.44% to 3.89%.

▪ Monroe County added four new cases and no deaths. Pandemic totals in the Keys are at 6,960 cases and 49 deaths.

In the Florida Keys, 11,583 people have received the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna and 26,323 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 3.44% to 1.82%.

Florida COVID-19 hospitalization

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 11:02 a.m. Friday, the agency said there were 3,046 people hospitalized. Of these, Miami-Dade had 451; Broward, 412; Palm Beach, 209; and Monroe, one, the agency said.

According to Miami-Dade’s New Normal Dashboard, county hospitals have reported 478 COVID-19 patients, down from 493 on Wednesday. There were 51 new patients and 67 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.