:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/N4IC3UPLPNA7ZITRJ4IFJQBPNI.PNG "Florida reports more than 19,000 new cases of coronavirus as the state awaits more vaccinations")
ORLANDO, Fla. In Florida, on Thursday, 2021, the highest number of new cases was recorded after the Florida Department of Health reported nearly 20,000 new cases of COVID-19.
As the cases continue to climb, Floridians are eager to receive a vaccine as soon as possible.
Vaccines are still found in the arms of Florida residents around the state. As more doses expired, Governor Ron DeSantis called on churches and other places to start administering vaccines.
DeSantis on Monday announced amendments to the state’s vaccine distribution plan, saying hospitals should use their shots as soon as possible and work with worship centers to help distribute the vaccine. The governor did not mention Publix during two news conferences Monday, but on Tuesday, DeSantis made the announcement of a Publix supermarket in Ocala.
According to Publix.com, a limited number of vaccines are “on the way to select Publix pharmacies in the provinces of Citrus, Hernando and Marion.”
According to the website, 11 Marion counties, eight Hernando County stores and three Citrus County locations will offer the shots.
READ MORE: Selected Publix pharmacy locations offer coronavirus vaccine shots in Florida
DeSantis held several news conferences on Thursday, saying more vaccines were on the way.
The governor said Florida is expected to receive about 250,000 new doses of COVID-19 vaccine next week, which will be split approximately in half between Moderna and Pfizer shots.
[READ YESTERDAY’S REPORT: Florida reports 17,000 new coronavirus cases, 130 new deaths]
Incidents
The Florida Department of Health reported 19,473 new cases on Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 1,429,722 cases since March.
Deaths
Florida reported 170 new virus-related deaths Thursday. That means at least 22,817 people have died from the coronavirus across the state, including 336 non-residents who died in Florida.
Hospitalizations
As of Thursday, there were currently 7,335 people with the virus who were hospitalized in Florida, according to the state agency for health care administration.
Since March 64,704 people were hospitalized in Florida after coronavirus complications. The number includes the 383 patients recently admitted to hospital due to the virus, according to the daily report of the Department of Health.
Positivity rate
The percentage of positive results has fluctuated from 8.03% to 23.28% over the past two weeks and was 11.60% on Wednesday.
Health officials say the rate should remain between 5% and 10% to prove that a community owns the virus and can control infections.
Vaccinations
The Florida Department of Health recently began publishing a daily report on COVID-19 vaccines administered throughout the state. As of Thursday afternoon, 384,223 people had been vaccinated in Florida.
See COVID-19 data for the Central Florida region below:
| County | Incidents | New matters | Hospitalizations | New hospitalizations | Deaths | New deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brevard | 23,103 | 434 | 1 503 | 20 | 535 | 9 |
| Flagler | 4,154 | 75 | 243 | 4 | 48 | 0 |
| More | 17,228 | 331 | 1,002 | 6 | 331 | 0 |
| Marion | 19,585 | 386 | 1 387 | 11 | 496 | 1 |
| Orange | 83 462 | 1,307 | 2,016 | 10 | 777 | 1 |
| Osceola | 27,569 | 456 | 1,110 | 7 | 305 | 8 |
| Polk | 40 983 | 622 | 3 403 | 14 | 821 | 7 |
| Seminole | 19,803 | 264 | 930 | 5 | 319 | 2 |
| Sumter | 5,720 | 86 | 392 | 4 | 122 | 0 |
| Volusia | 24 553 | 348 | 1,307 | 11 | 460 | 2 |
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