New daily virus cases in Florida is lowest since July

Florida reported more than 75,000 cases of COVID-19 over the week, continuing a drop from summer highs when the state battled a fierce surge in infections fueled by the delta variant, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The figures released Friday brought the state's daily average for the week to more than 10,800 cases, though there were 11,275 new cases reported on Friday. A month ago, Florida was averaging more than 21,000 cases a day. The daily average for the past week was the lowest since the end of July.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Florida since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 is just shy of 3.5 million cases, according to the CDC.

Despite the decline in new cases, Florida marked a somber milestone in the past week, surpassing 50,000 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began. As of last Thursday, Florida had 51,240 COVID-19-related deaths.

Epidemiologists say the state's rates of vaccination has outpaced the national average, but it has not been enough to keep the highly contagious variant at bay because of its outsized population of elderly people and low vaccination rates among younger groups they interact with. Among those refusing to get vaccinated are around 600 Orange County Fire Rescue workers in the Orlando area who are resisting Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings' mandate to get vaccinated for COVID-19 or risk losing their jobs. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has threatened to fine local governments like Orange County requiring employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19.