Local

Florida adds over 13,100 new COVID-19 cases -- pandemic’s 2nd highest single-day increase

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida reported its second-highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Thursday since the start of the pandemic.

READ: FDA recommends EUA for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine

The Florida Health Department reported 13,148 new cases on Thursday, the largest single-day increase the state has reported since it hit its record of 13,965 new cases on July 16.

The state reported its largest increase in cases on July 12, with 15,300 new cases, but that increase was reported to be inflated due to a data dump.

READ: Stimulus update: Lawmakers rush to finalize deal that includes a check for most Americans

The new cases include more than 2,700 in Central Florida alone. Orange County reported the largest increase with more than 800 new cases.

The state’s total death toll from the virus is now 20,594.

>>> WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS <<<

READ: ‘This is a big day’: Thousands of AdventHealth employees sign up to receive first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines

The news came as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel recommended emergency use authorization for Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine. Click here to read more about that.

The decision comes six days after the FDA approved an EUA of the vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech.

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

Orange: CASES: 66,786 (+811), DEATHS: 697 (+13)

Osceola: CASES: 22,353 (+296), DEATHS: 272 (0)

Seminole: CASES: 15,938 (+181), DEATHS: 301 (0)

Polk: CASES: 32,432 (+436), DEATHS: 739 (+4)

Volusia: CASES: 19,334 (+262), DEATHS: 398 (0)

Brevard: CASES: 18,511 (+210), DEATHS: 490 (+4)

Flagler: CASES: 3,179 (+42), DEATHS: 47 (+1)

Lake: CASES: 12,966 (+239), DEATHS: 276 (+1)

Marion: CASES: 15,433 (+215), DEATHS: 430 (+2)

Sumter: CASES: 4,221 (+67), DEATHS: 109 (0)

Click here to download the free WFTV news app.

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.