Florida adds 3,598 COVID cases; HHS estimates deaths prevented by vaccines

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Florida reported 3,598 new COVID-19 cases and three more deaths tied to the virus in the latest data posted by the CDC on Tuesday.

It comes as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a report estimating that COVID vaccines prevented about 17,000 infections and 2,400 deaths among seniors in Florida during the first five months of 2021.

That time period covered in the report is months before the delta variant fueled a summer surge that made August the deadliest month of the pandemic in Florida.

The HHS study said that vaccines prevented about 265,000 COVID-19 infections, 107,000 hospitalizations, and 39,000 deaths nationally among Medicare beneficiaries between January and May.

“This report reaffirms what we hear routinely from states: COVID-19 vaccines save lives, prevent hospitalizations, and reduce infection,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a news release.

Meanwhile, the latest metrics posted Tuesday by the CDC show Florida at 3,590,400 cases and 55,622 deaths tied to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

The state has averaged about 4,400 new cases per day over the past week, continuing a steep decline since August when more than 21,000 cases were being added per day during the peak of the summer surge.

The 2,741 new cases reported from Sunday represented the state’s smallest daily increase since July 5.

Hospitalizations and positivity rates also continue to decline in Florida.

Click here for information on where to get COVID-19 testing or vaccines in South Florida.