About a third of Florida’s nearly 8,000 new COVID-19 cases reported in Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida health officials reported 7,985 new cases of COVID-19, as cases continue to climb past 1 million in Florida and several Central Florida counties saw hundreds of new cases.

To date, there have been 1,073,770 cases of COVID-19 reported in the state. Florida marks the third state to surpass the 1-million-cases milestone, joining Texas and California.

Seminole and Osceola counties saw the most new cases with 686 and 468 cases, respectively.

Meanwhile, Orange County reported 1,750 fewer cases and 16 fewer deaths.

The Department of Health said the abnormality is due to staff “cleaning the data” and reviewing the way cases get assigned. Officials said Orange County is a health hub and a place where many people travel to get tested.”

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There were another 98 deaths linked to the virus, according to the Florida Department of Health. Of the recent deaths, 18 were reported in Central Florida.

The state’s death toll now stand at 19,627, according to the most recent report.

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

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The Orange County Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act portal closed an hour after it opened Tuesday. It could be the last time the portal opens this year.

The portal allowed 20,000 residents to apply for a $1,000 grant.

County officials said people living in the same household who have been impacted by COVID-19, including roommates and other family members, were eligible to apply.

READ: Florida agents raid home of ousted COVID-19 data curator

In vaccine news, officials with the Food and Drug Administration released an analysis Tuesday of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech which found “no specific safety concerns” that could keep health officials from approving the drug for emergency use.

The 53-page analysis suggests the FDA will move to approve of the historic drug, which has already been approved for emergency use in the United Kingdom. The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is set to meet Thursday to discuss the efficacy of the vaccine and the strength of the scientific data from Pfizer and BioNTech.

The FDA typically follows the committee’s recommendations and is expected to release a decision on whether to allow for emergency use of the drug in the days after Thursday’s meeting, according to The Associated Press.

The United Kingdom on Tuesday became the first country to give doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer and BioNTech to its citizens amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Coronavirus: First UK patients, including man named William Shakespeare, get Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

READ: Coronavirus: FDA sees ‘no specific safety concerns’ for Pfizer, BioNTech vaccine, analysis shows

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: 60,291 (-1,750) DEATHS: 642 (-16)

Osceola: CASES: 20,277 (+468) DEATHS: 252 (+5)

Seminole: CASES: 14,456 (+686) DEATHS: 290 (+6)

Polk: CASES: 29,734 (+372) DEATHS: 707 (+5)

Volusia: CASES: 17,720 (+222) DEATHS: 386 (+1)

Brevard: CASES: 16,879 (+158) DEATHS: 462 (+5)

Flagler: CASES: 2,926 (+25) DEATHS: 45 (0)

Lake: CASES: 11,524 (+223) DEATHS: 262 (+1)

Marion: CASES: 14,122 (+151) DEATHS: 408 (+0)

Sumter: CASES: 3,802 (+57) DEATHS: 101 (0)

VIDEO: Florida surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases, another 82 virus-related deaths reported

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