1,234 new infections reported as numbers continue to fall

Florida added 1,234 coronavirus cases Wednesday to bring the cumulative total to 2,327,989. With 55 more fatalities, a total of 36,924 residents have died from the virus.

Each report includes deaths from several previous days, as it can take two weeks or more for fatalities to be logged.

Infections and deaths are declining statewide.

As of Wednesday’s report, the latest seven-day case count is 11,847, compared with 16,546 the previous week. The latest sevenday death toll is 277, compared with 376 one week earlier.

To date, 97,115 people have been hospitalized in Florida, according to the state’s report, which includes 232 newly reported hospitalizations since Tuesday’s update.

Across the state, 1,842 people were hospitalized with COVID19 as of about 1 p.m. Wednesday, including 108 in Orange County, 58 in Osceola, 33 in Lake and 48 in Seminole.

Statewide, 10,365,752 people, or 49%, have received at least one vaccination shot, including 8,352,245, or 39%, who have completed their shot regimens. The count is a snapshot through Tuesday, based on the report released Wednesday.

Of those who have received at least the first dose, 3,841,504, or 88%, are over the age of 65.

Statewide, the latest positivity rate reported Wednesday for Tuesday’s test results by the Florida Department of Health was 3.33%, but that’s for new cases only and excludes anyone who previously tested positive. For all cases including retests of those previously infected, the latest positivity rate is 4.16%.

Central Florida added 258 cases Wednesday for a total of 424,438: 50 more in Orange for 143,051; 53 more in Polk for 71,198; 21 in Osceola for 46,266; 44 in Volusia for 44,941; 36 in Brevard for 42,999; 20 in Seminole for 35,380; 34 in Lake for 31,099; and none in Sumter to keep the count at 9,504.

There were 11 new deaths across all eight Central Florida counties bringing the region’s toll to 6,443, although Polk County’s total was five less than what was reported Tuesday.

Polk County has the most coronavirus fatalities in the region with 1,386, followed by 1,310 in Orange, 913 in Brevard, 844 in Volusia, 662 in Lake, 529 in Osceola, 516 in Seminole and 283 in Sumter.