Florida

Florida reports 5,600 new COVID-19 cases, 55 virus-related deaths

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida reported an additional 5,600 COVID-19 cases on Thursday.

The latest cases bring the state’s total number since the pandemic began to 2,228,212.

READ: Orange County mayor announces changes to social distancing guidelines, timeline for phasing out mask mandate

Of the latest cases, 1,332 were reported in Central Florida.

The state also reported an additional 55 virus-related deaths.

READ: Coronavirus: CDC announces updated mask guidance

Of the latest deaths, 16 were reported in Central Florida. Seven of those deaths were reported in Orange County.

READ: Coronavirus: Pfizer CEO says COVID-19 pill could be ready by end of the year

COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are 94% effective at preventing coronavirus-related hospitalizations among fully vaccinated adults age 65 and older, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published Wednesday concluded.

Results of the real-world study also indicated that the two-dose vaccines - both of which incorporate messenger RNA, or mRNA, technology – were 64% effective at preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations among those in the age group who had only received one dose.

Click here to read more.

READ: Real-world study shows mRNA vaccines cut COVID-19 hospitalizations among older people, CDC says

See a county-by-county breakdown of total (and new) coronavirus cases below, and click here for an interactive map of cases statewide:

ORANGE: CASES: 135,932 (+388); DEATHS: 1,246 (+7)

OSCEOLA: CASES: 43,924 (+152); DEATHS: 499 (+1)

SEMINOLE: CASES: 33,583 (+126); DEATHS: 488 (+1)

POLK: CASES: 67,355 (+248); DEATHS: 1,304 (+2)

VOLUSIA: CASES: 42,617 (+114); DEATHS: 788 (+1)

BREVARD: CASES: 40,780 (+120); DEATHS: 859 (+1)

FLAGLER: CASES: 7,191 (+19); DEATHS: 110 (+2)

LAKE: CASES: 29,228 (+88); DEATHS: 625 (+1)

MARION: CASES: 30,677 (+62); DEATHS: 947 (0)

SUMTER: CASES: 9,249 (+15); DEATHS: 275 (0)

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.