STATEWIDE — Health officials in Florida are tracking a trend that indicates progress in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of people dying from COVID-19 is down significantly.
What You Need To Know
- Number of reported COVID death in Florida daily plunges, data shows
- Earlier in the pandemic, about 200 deaths were reported on some days
- Three deaths were reported Thursday, the health department said
- Vaccines helping prevent deaths, Orlando Health official says
On several days throughout the pandemic, the Florida Department of Health recorded more than 200 resident deaths. On Monday, April 26, they reported seven deaths. By Thursday, April 29, that number dropped to three reported deaths.
These numbers can change because health officials say there is a lag time, often of several days, between infection and death. The number of deaths can be traced on the Florida Department of Health's COVID-19 Response website.
“This is what we had hoped to see is more vaccine and more immunity because of vaccine and fewer deaths — because that’s really the most important thing vaccines do for you, is it prevents death,” Dr. George Ralls, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Orlando Health, said.
His goal is zero deaths, and Ralls encourages vaccinations as the way to achieve it.
“I know some people have concerns about it, but we know that after millions and millions and millions of vaccine doses across the world it’s the right approach and it's safe so really we are trying to make people understand that this isn’t over,” he said. “We still have a ways to go.”