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Florida reports more than 8,300 new COVID-19 cases, 99 virus-related deaths

Florida health officials reported 8,376 new cases of COVID-19 ahead of Thanksgiving.

To date, there have been 961,676 cases of COVID-19 reported in the state.

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There were another 99 deaths linked to the virus, according to the Florida Department of Health. Of the recent deaths, 10 were reported in Central Florida.

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The state’s death toll now stand at 18,482, according to the most recent report.

A list of COVID-19 testing sites in Orange County can be found here.

As the case numbers continue to grow, so does the anticipation for a vaccine.

U.S. officials plan to release 6.4 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine nationwide in its first distribution.

Florida is now planning how to best distribute the vaccine to high-risk populations. However, it’s not known yet how many doses Florida will be getting out of that 6.4 million. But weekly, the state should be getting more and more until all who want it can get both doses.

READ: ‘I’m tired all the time’: Some patients dealing with effects from COVID-19 months later

In vaccine news, British drugmaker AstraZeneca said an interim analysis has revealed that its COVID-19 vaccine was, on average, 70% effective in its clinical trial.

According to The Associated Press, the company, which is manufacturing vaccine candidate AZD1222 developed by Oxford University, announced the update in a news release early Monday.

The news came days after the companies said a final analysis revealed that their COVID-19 vaccine was 95% effective in a clinical trial.

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“Positive high-level results from an interim analysis of clinical trials of AZD1222 in the U.K. and Brazil showed the vaccine was highly effective in preventing COVID-19, the primary endpoint, and no hospitalizations or severe cases of the disease were reported in participants receiving the vaccine,” the release said.

Click here to learn more about the vaccine.

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: 55,966 (+440) Deaths: 635 (0)

Osceola: Cases: 17,553 (+111) Deaths: 240 (+1)

Seminole: Cases: 12,387 (+64) Deaths: 268 (+1)

Polk: Cases: 26,833 (+142) Deaths: 671 (+2)

Volusia: Cases: 15,609 (+201) Deaths: 362 (+2)

Brevard: Cases: 14,981 (+170) Deaths: 434 (+2)

Flagler: Cases: 2,621 (+16) Deaths: 42 (0)

Lake: Cases: 10,273 (+65) Deaths: 250 (+2)

Marion: Cases: 12,628 (+49) Deaths: 377 (0)

Sumter: Cases: 3,353 (+12) Deaths: 92 (0)

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Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.

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