THE FORECAST TOMORROW. I WILL HIGHLIGHT THOSE, STRAIGHT AHEAD. SUMMER: TONIGHT, HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. ORANGE COUNTY’S MAYOR SAYS WE’RE SEEING A SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES. JIM: AND AS A RESULT, HE’S GOING BACK TO RECOMMENDING MASKS. WESH 2’S AMANDA DUKES WAS THERE WHEN THE MAYOR MADE HIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND JOINS US LIVE WITH DETAILS. AMANDA: THE TWO BIG HEADLINES OUT OF TONIGHT’S COVID BRIENGFI FOR ORANGE COUNTY IS THAT THE CASES ARE INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY. THE 14 DAY POSITIVITY RATE IS NOW 7.78%. THAT’UPS FROM 4.28% TWO WEEKS AGO. ALSO, MAYOR DEMINGS IS RECOMMENDING THAT THBO VACCINATED AND UNVACCINATED DIINVIDUALS RETURN TO WEANGRI FACEMASKS IN CROWDED, INDOOR SETTINGS. ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY’S HETHAL OFFICER, DR. RAUL PINO, YESTERDAY ALONE, 400 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 WERE REPORD TEIN — WERE REPORTED AND EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS AN UNVACCINATED PATIENT. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN 8 NEW COVID-19 DEATHS IN ORANGE COTYUN SINCE LAST THURSDAY, AND ALL OF THOSE PATIENTS WERE UNVACCINATED. THE RISE IN CASES HAS PUT ORANGE COUNTY IN A HIGH RISK CATEGORY BY THE CDC FOR COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION, AND THEAPLE TONIGHT FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS WAS TO THOSE WHO STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN VACCINATED TO DO IT. DR. PINO: THIS IS A MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR OUR COUNTY. THIS IS AN UNVACCINATED ISSUE. THE VACCINE IS EFFECTIVE, THE VACCINE IS WORKING, THE VACCEIN IS EVERYWHERE, AND IT’S FREE. IT IS UP TO YOU TO TAKE IT AND MAKE THAT DECISI.ON AMANDA: BECAUSE OF THE RISINE CASES, MAYOR DEMINGS IS TURERNING ORANGE COUNTY TO THE STATUS THAT RECOMMENDS EVERYONE, BOTH T VACHECINATED AND UNVACCATEDIN, WEAR MASKS WHEN IN CROWDED SETTINGS WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS NOT POSSIBLE. IT IS NOT A MANDE, IATT IS A RECOMMENDATION. AND WHEN ASKED WHAT THAT MAY MEAN FOR SCHOOLS THIS FALL, THE MAYOR SAID HE WAS ONLY REFERRING TO VERY CROWDED SETTINGS WHERE PEOPLE MAY BE JUST INCHES APART. THE SCHOOL BOARD VOTES ON A MASK POLICY FOR THE FALL AT ITS MEETING TOMORR.OW THE MAYOR DID SAY HIS INTENTION AT THIS INPOT IS NOT TO TRY TO RETURN TO A MASK MANDATE. BUT TO REPENT — BUT TO PREVENT
Orange County leaders say we’re seeing a spike in cases of COVID-19
Updated: 6:52 PM EDT Jul 12, 2021
Orange County officials released new information regarding the positivity rate of COVID-19 in the area, among others things, during a briefing on Monday.The positivity rate has jumped significantly over the past two weeks, officials said. It is now 7.78%. That’s up from 4.28% two weeks ago, WESH 2 News learned. Also, Mayor Jerry Demings is recommending that both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents return to wearing face masks in crowded, indoor settings.According to the county’s health officer, Dr. Raul Pino, on Sunday alone, there were 400 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Orange County and every one of them was an unvaccinated patient.There have also been eight new COVID-19 deaths in Orange County since last Thursday and all of those patients were unvaccinated.The rise in cases has put Orange County in a high-risk category by the CDC for community transmission of COVID-19 and the plea now from local officials is to those who still have not gotten vaccinated, to do it.Because of the rise in cases, Demings is returning the county to a status that recommends that everyone, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, wear masks when they are in crowded settings where social distancing is not possible. It is not a mandate, it is a recommendation, and when asked what that may mean for schools this fall, the mayor said he was only referring to very crowded settings where people may be just inches apart.The school board votes on a mask policy for the fall at its meeting on Tuesday. The mayor said his intention is not to return to a mask mandate. To prevent that, the plea was for everyone who can to get vaccinated.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
Orange County officials released new information regarding the positivity rate of COVID-19 in the area, among others things, during a briefing on Monday.
The positivity rate has jumped significantly over the past two weeks, officials said. It is now 7.78%. That’s up from 4.28% two weeks ago, WESH 2 News learned. Also, Mayor Jerry Demings is recommending that both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents return to wearing face masks in crowded, indoor settings.
According to the county’s health officer, Dr. Raul Pino, on Sunday alone, there were 400 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Orange County and every one of them was an unvaccinated patient.
There have also been eight new COVID-19 deaths in Orange County since last Thursday and all of those patients were unvaccinated.
The rise in cases has put Orange County in a high-risk category by the CDC for community transmission of COVID-19 and the plea now from local officials is to those who still have not gotten vaccinated, to do it.
Because of the rise in cases, Demings is returning the county to a status that recommends that everyone, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, wear masks when they are in crowded settings where social distancing is not possible. It is not a mandate, it is a recommendation, and when asked what that may mean for schools this fall, the mayor said he was only referring to very crowded settings where people may be just inches apart.
The school board votes on a mask policy for the fall at its meeting on Tuesday. The mayor said his intention is not to return to a mask mandate. To prevent that, the plea was for everyone who can to get vaccinated.