Thursday sees another 6.1K COVID-19 cases, 54 deaths in South Florida

As Florida reaches 1 million cases of COVID-19, there is a glimmer of hope. Image via AP.

Thursday’s Department of Health report saw another 6,153 confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Florida. That’s the third-highest daily total recorded in the tri-county area since the pandemic began.

Testing also neared a high point in Thursday’s report. But that surge in testing does not fully explain the ballooning of cases in the region, as the share of tests coming back positive has increased week-to-week in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

The case surge comes as the state reported its highest-ever one-day tally Thursday.

Hospitalizations have also increased week-to-week in Miami-Dade County, but are down week-to-week in Broward and Palm Beach. Deaths are up week-to-week in Miami-Dade as well, but are stable in Broward and Palm Beach.

The tri-county area saw another 54 deaths recorded in Thursday’s report, an increase from the totals seen days prior. With so many cases being reported, deaths and hospitalizations — which are lagging indicators — will likely go up in the days and weeks ahead.

Thursday’s death toll put South Florida across the 8,100 mark, with 8,127 lives now lost to the virus.

More than 550,000 people have contracted COVID-19 across the three counties as of Thursday. The newest eye-popping total bumps up the overall case count in the region to 553,168.

Here are some of the weekly numbers for the previous three weeks throughout the South Florida tri-county area:

Miami-Dade

— Dec. 17-23: 33 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 12 newly-reported deaths per day, 2,243 new confirmed cases per day, 8.1% positivity rate

— Dec. 24-30: 25 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 11 newly-reported deaths per day, 2,190 new confirmed cases per day, 10% positivity rate

— Dec. 31-Jan. 6: 31 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 16 newly-reported deaths per day, 2,754 new confirmed cases per day, 10.5% positivity rate

Broward

— Dec. 17-23: 23 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 5 newly-reported deaths per day, 989 new confirmed cases per day, 6.7% positivity rate

— Dec. 24-30: 23 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 7 newly-reported deaths per day, 929 new confirmed cases per day, 8.7% positivity rate

— Dec. 31-Jan. 6: 16 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 7 newly-reported deaths per day, 1,212 new confirmed cases per day, 9.8% positivity rate

Palm Beach

— Dec. 17-23: 16 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 8 newly-reported deaths per day, 561 new confirmed cases per day, 7.1% positivity rate

— Dec. 24-30: 23 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 5 newly-reported deaths per day, 559 new confirmed cases per day, 8.7% positivity rate

— Dec. 31-Jan. 6: 16 newly-reported hospitalizations per day, 5 newly-reported deaths per day, 833 new confirmed cases per day, 9.9% positivity rate