As Florida celebrates Super Bowl win state reports 5,600 new COVID-19 cases

Maskless fans seen cheering inside, outside Raymond James Stadium

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans celebrate after Super Bowl LV on February 7, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. Tampa Bay won in dominating fashion 31-9 over defending champ Kansas City Chiefs, securing for 43-year-old quarterback Tom Brady his seventh Lombardi Trophy, two more than any player in NFL history. (Photo by Octavio Jones/Getty Images) (OCTAVIO JONES, 2021 Getty Images)

ORLANDO, Fla. – Celebrations inside and outside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa following the Buccaneers win in Sunday’s Super Bowl 55 saw thousands of people cheering on the home team’s win, many without masks.

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Those in attendance were required to wear face coverings throughout the game unless they were eating or drinking. Ushers holding signs enforced the rules that, by now, should be standard operating procedure.

Fans disregarded social distancing guidelines and crowded into the lower rows of bleachers to get a better view of the celebration following the Buc’s win.

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Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued an executive order last month requiring masks to be worn outside in the city’s most popular entertainment areas during Super Bowl festivities and for a few days following the event. No tailgating was allowed, either. It was all part of an effort to curb the potential spread of COVID-19 at the event, which health care experts feared could become a super spreader event.

That did little to dissuade thousands from gathering around the stadium.

The pandemic is forcing changes to a post-Super Bowl tradition at Walt Disney World. The theme park will not host its traditional Super Bowl parade down Main Street U.S.A.

Despite that, Tampa Bay tight end Rob Gronkowski will visit Disney World to “experience some of Disney’s most popular attractions,” according to the Disney Parks Blog.

Gronkowski and Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, the Buc’s quarterback, both appeared in Disney’s iconic “I’m going to Disney World!” commercial, changing it to “We’re going to Disney World!” Brady is set visit the park later this year.

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Below is a breakdown of Florida COVID-19 data reported by the state on Feb. 8.

Cases

The Florida Department of Health reported 5,640 new cases on Monday, bringing the state’s overall total to 1,783,720 cases since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.

Deaths

Florida reported 126 new virus-related deaths Monday, raising the death toll to 28,287. This number includes the 472 non-residents who died in Florida.

Hospitalizations

As of Monday afternoon, there were currently 5,381 people with the virus hospitalized in Florida, according to the state Agency for Health Care Administration.

Since March, 74,543 people have been hospitalized in Florida after complications from COVID-19. That number includes the 131 new patients who have been recently hospitalized due to the virus, according to the health department’s daily report released on Sunday.

Positivity rate

The percent of positive results was 7.37% on Sunday out of 76,522 tests reported to the state. Health officials say the rate should remain between 5% and 10% to prove a community has a hold of the virus and is curbing infections.

Vaccinations

The Florida Department of Health recently began releasing a daily report on COVID-19 vaccines administered throughout the state.

As of Monday afternoon, 2,016,291 people have been vaccinated in Florida. The FDOH also reports that 693,865 people have received their second shot.

See COVID-19 data for the Central Florida region below:

CountyCasesNew casesHospitalizationsNew hospitalizationsDeathsNew deaths
Brevard31,0061481,85306811
Flagler5,50353102752
Lake22,800721,17504680
Marion25,538881,59916710
Orange106,8684182,24901,0020
Osceola34,6861431,21723840
Polk52,7311984,04511,0080
Seminole25,095961,06303892
Sumter7,4002044412070
Volusia32,3161331,57425511

To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6′s coronavirus newsletter and go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.


About the Author:

Thomas Mates is a digital storyteller for News 6 and ClickOrlando.com. He also produces the podcast Florida Foodie. Thomas is originally from Northeastern Pennsylvania and worked in Portland, Oregon before moving to Central Florida in August 2018. He graduated from Temple University with a degree in Journalism in 2010.

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