‘We are now in crisis mode’: Mayor of Florida county home to Disney World sounds alarm on surging Covid cases
Urging the county’s residents to get vaccinated, Demings added: “We, as a community, need to work together to slow the spread.”
“Residents are still getting vaccinated, but at a slow pace. We need to move the needle faster. 61.59% of Orange County residents ages 12 and above have had at least one shot of the vaccine,” he said.
Travelers walk past a sign advertising Walt Disney World at Orlando International Airport as the July Fourth holiday weekend begins, on July 2, 2021.
CNN has reached out to Disney for comment.
Over the past week, Florida accounted for nearly a quarter of all new cases in the United States — more than any other state.
The case rate in the state over the past week — about 49 new cases per 100,000 people each day — is more than three times the US rate of about 16 new cases per 100,000 people each day. Only Arkansas and Louisiana had higher case rates over the past week.
Florida also reported more Covid-19 deaths than any other state over the past week — a total of 282 over the past week — the sixth highest per capita rate of deaths in the country.
The state has fully vaccinated 48.5% of its residents, according to data from the CDC — below the US rate of 49.1%.
