Florida reports 5,200 new COVID-19 cases as local county plans to make changes to its mask mandate

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida reported an additional 5,271 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday.

That brings the total number of cases in the state since the pandemic began to 2,217,368.

READ: Coronavirus: CDC announces updated mask guidance

The state also reported an additional 46 virus-related deaths on Tuesday.

Of those deaths, 14 were reported in Central Florida.

The total death toll in the state from the virus is now 35,646.

READ: Coronavirus: CDC still urges people to avoid travel, including those fully vaccinated

The increases come as the CDC announced revisions to its masking recommendations.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky shared several activities on Tuesday which health officials have deemed are safe for masked, fully vaccinated people as more Americans get immunized against COVID-19.

Among the activities were visiting a barber or a hair salon, riding public transportation with limited occupancy and singing in an outdoor chorus.

READ: Coronavirus: Children can be within 3 feet of each other at summer camp, CDC says

“As we gather more and more data on the real-world efficacy of vaccines, we know that masked fully vaccinated people can safely attend worship services inside, go to an indoor restaurant or bar and even participate in an indoor exercise class,” Walensky said during a White House COVID-19 Response Team news conference.

She emphasized that health officials continue to recommend masking indoors, even for fully vaccinated Americans.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he plans to update the county’s mask mandate to comply with the new CDC recommendations.

READ: ‘Get vaccinated now’: Biden discusses new CDC guidance on wearing masks outdoors

“I believe that the CDC has made the right call. I have received research recently from various areas, including the University of Central Florida, so what the CDC has now recommended is consistent to what I’ve received in way of research. I’ll be making an amendment to the mask mandate here in Orange County and will likely come out with that tomorrow,” Demings said in a statement.