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QUICK UPDATES
Florida Adds More Than 1,600 New Cases, 27 New Resident Deaths
Updated Monday at 3:55 p.m.
Florida’s Department of Health confirmed an additional 1,606 positive cases of COVID-19 Monday. The state has a total of 2,311,941 confirmed positive cases, according to the state's health department.
Monday update also included the announcement of 27 new resident deaths, increasing the statewide number of Floridians who died to 36,501. Factoring in non-resident deaths the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 37,235.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties make up 12,276 of those reported deaths. Monroe County has reported 50 deaths due to COVID-19.
— WLRN News
Florida Nursing Homes: A Real-time Test For COVID Vaccine Immunity
Updated Monday at 5:04 a.m.
When COVID vaccines arrived in Florida in December, seniors in elder-care facilities were among the first to get the life-saving treatment.
The strategy has paid off: COVID cases in residents of Florida nursing homes and assisted living facilities fell 90% since January.
Now senior advocate organizations are closely watching the new case numbers and hospitalizations. No one — even vaccine manufacturers — knows for certain how long immunity will last, particularly in the elderly. Both Pfizer and Moderna CEOs have said it’s likely there will be a need for a third dose, somewhere between six and 12 months.
— By Cindy Krischer Goodman / The South Florida Sun-Senteinl
Read more from our news partner at The South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Florida's COVID Positivity Rate Remains Under 4%; State Vaccinates 10 Million
Updated Monday at 5:00 a.m.
The state positivity rate for new COVID-19 cases increased slightly Sunday but remained under 4% for the third time in four days.
There was also good news nationwide as the share of coronavirus tests coming back positive has fallen to below 3% for the first time since widespread testing began, according to the New York Times.
The number of hospitalized patients has fallen to its lowest point in 11 months and fewer than 30,000 new cases of coronavirus are being diagnosed daily around the U.S. for the first time since last June.
— By Jorge Milian/ The Palm Beach Post
Read more from our news partner at The Palm Beach Post