COVID-19 rages throughout Central Florida

The resurgence of COVID-19 infections raged throughout Central Florida with several counties suffering daily totals of new cases like never before, according to the latest state report.

Orange County recorded 989 new case, slightly below the 1,062 peak seen in Friday’s report yet still way above anything ever previously experienced, according to the latest Florida Department of Health COVID-19 report Saturday morning.

Officials in Seminole and Brevard counties saw their first-ever one day totals in excess of 200 new COVID-19 cases, and Lake County topped the 100 mark for the first time ever: 236 cases were added in Seminole, 250 in Brevard, and 123 in Lake. Osceola County’s 164 new cases tied the  county’s worst-day ever, which was set Friday, and Volusia County’s 140 new cases was one below the record 141 set Thursday.

Officials have stepped up testing for the new coronavirus in all six counties across greater Orlando. The larger pool certainly added to the totals. But so did positive test rates, which were near or above 10% for every county, showing a deeper infection rate across the entire region.

All totaled, 1,902 Central Floridians were added to the caseload, up from the record 1,807 who were logged the day before, which was above the record 1,238 set the day before, which was above the record 1,017 set the day before that.

Across the state, health officials reported an additional 9,585 COVID-19 cases Saturday morning, a new single-day worst. About 13% of the state’s newest test results came back positive, and another 149 Floridians were admitted to hospitals Friday.

Orange County continued, in Friday’s reports, to be the epicenter of the Central Florida outbreak. The 989 new cases pushed the county’s total caseload since the start of the coronavirus crisis in March to 8,837. On Friday, about 4,800 new test results were returned and 17% came back positive for the virus. It was the 11th straight day that Orange County has seen positive test rates in double digits, and the fourth consecutive day the rate was over 15%.

In Seminole County, 236 new cases gives the county 2,202 total for the coronavirus crisis. On Friday just over 1,500 test results came back and 13% of them were positive. It was the 11th straight day Seminole officials have seen double-digit positive test results.

In Brevard County, 250 new cases pushed the county’s total caseload to 1,547. Brevard received a very large number of test results back Friday, more than 2,400, and 9% came back positive.

In Osceola County, 164 new cases increased the total caseload too 1,649. The county received about 1,300 new test results on Friday, and 13% came back positive.

In Lake County, the 123 new cases gives the county 1,098 total cases since the outbreak began in March. On Friday, 10% of 1,100 test results came back positive.

In Volusia County, 140 new cases logged Friday increased the caseload to 1,745 over four months. In the latest batch, 10% of about 1,200 test results were positive for the virus.