Florida reports a more than 25% increase in COVID-19 cases since Thanksgiving

ORLANDO, Fla. — A recent surge in coronavirus cases in Florida is raising the alarms with local health officials.

According to the Florida Department of Health, 8,958 more COVID-19 cases were reported on Sunday.

Florida has now recorded 1,125,931 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.

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According to Dr. Jason Salemi, there has been a 26% increase in average daily cases in the state compared to two weeks ago, when some Floridians returned from the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Health officials reported 11,335 on Thursday, 11,699 on Friday and 10,577 new cases on Saturday.

Of the new cases reported on Sunday, 1,559 were in Central Florida.

Saturday’s coronavirus updates: 10,000 new cases, 72 new deaths reported in Florida

Orange County reported the most cases in Central Florida with 533, bringing the county’s total to 63,814.

Florida officials also reported 84 new virus-deaths, including three non-residents.

Florida’s death toll from the coronavirus pandemic now stands at 20,133, according to health records.

The latest data from the state came after the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gave his approval for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccinations on Sunday.

Watch: CDC director approves COVID-19 vaccinations

The approval means vaccinations can be administered in the United States.

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

Orange: 63,814 (+533) - 679 (0)

Osceola: 21,416 (+148) - 268 (0)

Seminole: 15,297 (+122) - 297 (+1)

Polk: 31,173 (+206) - 723 (+1)

Volusia: 18,585 (+166) - 390 (+1)

Brevard: 17,730 (+99) - 477 (0)

Flagler: 3,049 (+25) - 46 (0)

Lake: 12,291 (+155) - 271 (+4)

Marion: 14,849 (+105) - 422 (+1)

Sumter: 4,015 (+28) - 102 (0)

Cox Media Group