Florida COVID update for Monday: 1,700 cases at one-year mark, the fewest in months
Florida’s Department of Health announced 1,700 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 — the fewest reported in months — on Monday, a year since the state reported its first known infections.
The state also announced 150 new deaths. Of those who died, 147 were residents.
Monday’s single-day case count is the lowest reported since Oct. 5, when 1,415 cases were added. While Mondays usually see fewer cases because less data processing happens during the weekend, testing was also down.
On Monday, the state reported the results of 33,559 residents tested on Sunday, the lowest recorded since October. The state’s percent positivity for first-time testers decreased from 6.41% to 6.32%.
While Florida didn’t announce its first two cases of the novel coronavirus until March 1, 2020, the disease likely began spreading in the Sunshine State in January, if not earlier, as the Miami Herald previously reported.
Florida has now recorded a known total of 1,910,921 coronavirus cases and 31,556 total deaths. Among those who died, 30,999 were residents and 557 were nonresidents.
More than 1.6 million Floridians have completed the two-dose vaccination series of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, and more than 1.3 million have received the first dose.
COVID-19 in South Florida
▪ Miami-Dade County reported 235 new cases and 20 deaths, putting its pandemic totals at 410,952 cases and 5,449 deaths. In Miami-Dade, 147,046 people have received the first vaccine dose and 180,294 people have completed the two-dose series. Percent positivity decreased from 7.97% to 5.74%.
▪ Broward County added 225 cases and nine deaths, moving its totals to 195,217 cases and 2,399 deaths. In Broward County, 109,408 people have received the first vaccine dose and 150,023 people have completed the two-dose series. Percent positivity decreased from 6.71% to 6.22%.
▪ Palm Beach County reported 133 new cases and 23 deaths, bringing its cumulative count to 120,868 cases and 2,480 deaths. In Palm Beach County, 105,917 people have received the first vaccine dose and 159,373 people have completed the two-dose series. Percent positivity increased from 6.07% to 6.96%.
▪ Monroe County added four new cases and no new deaths. Pandemic totals in the Keys are 5,861 cases and 46 deaths. In Monroe County, 4,867 people have received the first vaccine dose and 6,666 people have completed the two-dose series. Percent positivity decreased from 10.26% to 3.57%.
Florida COVID-19 hospitalizations
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 action in dealing with the pandemic.
As of 2:47 p.m., the agency said there were 3,686 people hospitalized. Of these, Miami-Dade had 613; Broward, 537; Palm Beach, 257; and Monroe, 4, according to the agency.
According to Miami-Dade’s New Normal Dashboard, county hospitals have reported 666 COVID-19 patients, up from 643 on Sunday. There were 59 new patients and 60 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.
Miami Herald staff writer Carli Teproff contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 1, 2021 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Florida COVID update for Monday: 1,700 cases at one-year mark, the fewest in months."
