ADVENTHEALTH

ORLANDO, Fla. — Join 9 Family Connection and our partners McCoy Federal Credit Union, Mister Sparky, Stanley Steemer and The UPS Store as we help raise funds to fight breast cancer! Since 1978, thousands of mothers and daughters, sisters and friends have come together at the Lady Track Shack 5k to celebrate women’s health and fundraise to provide early diagnosis for those in need. All online donations, and race registrations will go to the AdventHealth Breast Cancer Care Fund. Visit https://www.trackshack.com/event/19 to register today! Cox Media Group

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida has seen a steady increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations since right after Christmas. The Florida Hospital Association said as of Wednesday, there are now more than 11,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state. In the past 14 days, the FHA said COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased more than 224% in Florida. READ: COVID-19 tests are free starting Saturday; how to get one; how to get it deliveredOrlando Health is no longer releasing COVID-19 patient data. READ: Federal government to send millions of free rapid COVID-19 tests to schoolsDemings is continuing to push vaccines, boosters and repeated advice of safety protocols like wearing a mask.

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth doctors are urging those who haven’t received COVID-19 vaccines or boosters to get them, as hospitalizations in Central Florida continue to rise. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<According to an update from AdventHealth Monday, there are 910 people in their hospitals across seven Central Florida counties. READ: New free COVID-19 testing site opens at Camping World StadiumSo far, the current surge remains lower than the Delta which peaked in August with approximately 1,700 hospitalizations. AdventHealth doctors recommend continued mask use indoors or when in close contact with others. The Florida Department of Health publishes a list of COVID testing sites located throughout the state here.

We are getting a look at the site's future in what will be called AdventHealth Millenia.

The coronavirus's omicron variant is far more infectious and less virulent than its predecessors, but it is not the common cold.

Officials with AdventHealth are reporting an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as the omicron variant of the virus continues to spread through Central Florida.

ORLANDO, Fla. — As COVID-19 cases continue to surge, AdventHealth gave an update on how the omicron variant is impacting the health care system and community. Dr. Vincent Hsu, AdventHealth’s executive director of infection prevention, said he doesn’t believe Central Florida has hit its peak with omicron cases. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<According to AdventHealth, there are 630 people hospitalized with COVID-19 across Central Florida. Even though omicron is mild, Hsu said it can still cause hospitalizations. READ: Teacher arrested after giving student COVID-19 vaccineHsu said there is also a greater number of children being hospitalized with COVID-19.

Oviedo couple welcomes first baby of the new year at AdventHealth The 7-pound, 10-ounce baby boy, Melvin Rodriguez, was born at 12:00:05 a.m. (AdventHealth Clelebration)CELEBRATION, Fla. — AdventHealth Celebration announced the delivery of its first baby of 2022. Read: ‘Shine As One’: As the year ends, the countdown to the Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando beginsJessica Gonzalez Colon and Brian Rodriguez from Oviedo, Florida, welcomed their newborn son Melvin just after the stroke of midnight Saturday. Read: Orlando ringing in New Year’s EveWeighing in at 7 pounds, 10 ounces, Melvin Rodriguez was born five seconds past midnight. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth has unveiled its plans to turn the property once home to the Holy Land Experience into a hospital and medical offices. The proposed project for AdventHealth Millenia will be done in two phases along 14.21 acres on the northeast corner of Vineland Road and Conroy Road. The second floor will house a 20,000 square-foot medical office, and the third and fourth, each 19,0000 square feet, will consist of either a medical office or ambulatory surgical center. READ: Orlando’s Holy Land Experience theme park sells to AdventHealthAn existing stormwater management system will be used for improvements during phase one, the project description states. Holy Land Experience The Holy Land Experience announced it is laying off nearly all of its employees.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Central Florida’s hospitals began to feel the effects of the now record-setting COVID-19 omicron surge Wednesday, even as officials remained hopeful that high vaccination rates would keep numbers below levels seen during the delta surge. READ: Here’s where you can find COVID-19 testing in Central Florida“The health care system is prepared for the increase,” a spokesman for the company noted. Across town at Orlando Health, 209 patients were being treated, less than a third of the more than 600 that system saw at its peak. Supplies of monoclonal antibody therapies were limited at AdventHealth, since the two most frequently used products have been determined to be less effective against omicron. Patients painted a bleaker picture, saying they were told the system was out, and they weren’t sure when they’d get their injections.

46,923 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Florida on Tuesday, marking the highest one-day rise in new Coronavirus positives ever recorded in the state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WASHINGTON, D.C — Hospital workers nationwide and right here in our community are bracing for a perfect storm. The new omicron variant is surging, flu cases are on the rise and all of these are happening during a busy holiday travel season. Just when health care workers thought there could be some relief, they’re gearing up for another variant, another surge, another fight. Read: Fauci: Vaccine mandate for those on domestic flights ‘should be considered’But Dr. Patel said he’s counting the number of lives saved each day. Some relief is on the way for health care workers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new emergency guidance for healthcare workers for a possible surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have the COVID-19 positivity rate over 7% in Orange County. As the COVID-19 infection rate climbs higher, medical experts are intensifying their push for vaccinations and boosters. READ: Coronavirus: FDA authorizes Merck’s COVID-19 pillThe latest push comes from AdventHealth. Earlier this week, hospital leaders said the positivity rate at their Centra Care locations had jumped from 5% to 21%. “I’ts really hard to say whether or not omicron is going to infect a greater number of folks than delta,” Hsu said.

AdventHealth is preparing for a possible surge in hospitalizations amid a rise in COVID-19 cases throughout Central Florida, health officials announced at a virtual news briefing Thursday.

On Tuesday, Dr. Victor Herrera, chief medical officer at AdventHealth Orlando, sat down with Tom Johnson, a public affairs official on their media team, to answer some of the public’s lingering questions about the latest variant.

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth doctors said the COVID-19 positivity rate has tripled at its urgent care clinics over the past few weeks. READ: Omicron now dominant US coronavirus strain, CDC saysThe doctor also said the hospital has activated the hospital’s COVID-19 command center. According to health officials, the omicron variant has not been detected in local AdventHealth hospitals. See: 9 things to know about the new omicron COVID-19 variantHerrera said studies are showing that the omicron variant spreads faster and is very infectious. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Omicron COVID-19 variant On Nov. 26, the World Health Organization classified a new variant, B.1.1.529, as a “variant of concern” and named it omicron.

AdventHealth is seeing some concerning spikes in COVID-19 positivity among their Central Florida campuses as the Omicron variant pushes surges across the United States. In...

After baby Dorian Bennett arrived 2 months early and spent more than 50 days in the neonatal ICU, his parents received a bill of more than $550,000 — despite having health insurance.

A Lake Brantley High School senior is making sure Christmas is a little brighter for children who will be spending the holidays in the hospital.

Children's mental health Nemours Children’s Health will soon offer mental illness treatment as an integral part of children’s primary care. (WFTV.com News Staff)ORLANDO, Fla. — A second Central Florida health system is expanding its services after a pandemic spike in mental health crises among kids. Nemours Children’s Health will soon offer mental illness treatment as an integral part of children’s primary care. The world is different now,” said Dr. Tom Lacy, Central Florida division chief of Nemours Children’s primary care. Those increases are why Nemours will soon have mental health counselors directly accessible within its children’s primary care offices.

Without a chimney to climb down, Santa’s helpers had to find another way to bring Christmas cheer to pediatric patients at a Central Florida hospital.

In the wake of an injunction against a federal vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, AdventHealth has rescinded its own employee mandate. A previous deadline of...

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — AdventHealth has announced it is suspending its COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Ron DeSantis signed a bill to prevent private employers from enforcing vaccine mandates, among other legislation. READ: DeSantis signs bills to prevent employers from firing workers over COVID-19 vaccination mandates“Based on scientific evidence and what we see in our hospitals every day, COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at reducing both the risk of becoming infected and the level of harm in the case of a breakthrough infection,” AdventHealth said in a prepared statement. “As part of our commitment to protecting the health and well-being of our team members, patients and communities, we strongly encourage all of our team members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.”AdventHealth said it will continue to monitor the ongoing litigation regarding the federal law. Coronavirus: Colorado reports first case of omicron variantClick here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

AdventHealth announced on Thursday its suspending the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in place for employees.

With the wake of COVID-19 still lingering in our lives, the 2021 holidays may be difficult to navigate for family and friends who have experienced loss during the pandemic.

In a letter to employees, AdventHealth says more than 74% of employees have gotten the vaccine.

AdventHealth opens Clermont ER to expand healthcare access to Lake County.

Walt Disney World on Tuesday announced the full list of celebrity narrators who will participate in this year’s EPCOT Candlelight Processional.

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth doctors said COVID-19 vaccine shots for children ages 5 to 11 should be available at various facilities including urgent care clinics, doctor’s offices, retailers, and schools around Central Florida, possibly by next week. On Thursday, the chief medical officer and medical director of its hospital for children reiterated the safety of the vaccine for kids and the impressive results of the studies. READ: See where your child can get the COVID-19 vaccine in Orange CountyThe doctors said it’s still critical to get kids vaccinated despite the current lower rates of infection, because of the area’s lack of herd immunity. They advise entire families to get vaccinated, if possible, to ensure the best protection against the virus. READ: Coronavirus: United Kingdom authorizes Merck’s COVID-19 pillClick here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

Dr. Michael Keating and Dr. Fatima Levent with AdventHealth for Children explained the importance of getting kids the covid-19 vaccine.

In an effort to stem heart attacks in young athletes AdventHealth is sponsoring the first free ECG screening for local high school athletes.

News 6 and AdventHealth Centra Care are teaming up again this year to offer free flu shots in Central Florida.

Walt Disney World on Friday announced some of the first celebrity narrators who will participate in this year’s EPCOT Candlelight Processional.

Dr. Lisa Minton, a surgeon who specializes in breast cancer care with AdventHealth, explained many patients chose to avoid their annual breast cancer screening within the last year because they were concerned of potential exposure to COVID-19.

Kellogg Foundation said the companies have partnered to help improve health equity across Central Florida. The program, “Building Health Equity across Health Care Systems and Communities,” is designed to address health inequities across racial and ethnic minority populations. “COVID-19 has highlighted health disparities across different groups based on race, ethnicity and income. But the truth is the pandemic has only intensified pre-existing disparities,” said Dr. Alric Simmonds, chief health equity officer at AdventHealth. “Our partnership with AdventHealth is an opportunity to transform the capacity of the health care system,” said Monica Beltran, program officer for the W.K.

Flu infections are expected to be widespread in 2021-22, according to medical experts, and it’s imperative we avoid the “one-two punch” of contracting the flu and COVID-19 still so active in our communities.

A construction crane being used to build a parking garage on the AdventHealth campus collapsed on Tuesday morning, sending one worker to the hospital with...

News 6 and AdventHealth have begun hosting events to administer free flu shots to the public.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Studies show COVID-19 took about two to three months off Americans’ life expectancy, and the effect is even greater for minority populations. Dr. Alric Simmonds, the chief health equity officer for AdventHealth, said it’s largely because of preexisting conditions like higher rates of diabetes, hypertension and morbid obesity. Coronavirus: Total US COVID-19 cases pass 44 million markHe said those health disparities come from a combination of fewer health care options, being underinsured and general poverty. It also took many Black and Hispanic families longer to trust the COVID-19 vaccine. READ: Coronavirus: Pfizer, BioNTech ask FDA to authorize COVID-19 vaccine use in children aged 5-11Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Sam and Tropical Storm Victor continue to churn out in the Atlantic. READ: TIMELINE: More than 100 people gather for vigil on seventh day of Miya Marcano disappearanceOur coastline will experience rough seas and dangerous rip currents due to Sam. READ: Dozens of Orange County firefighters file lawsuit over vaccine mandateTropical Storm Victor will continue to weaken today through the weekend. READ: ‘Eyewitness News Celebrates 50 Years of Magic Presented by AdventHealth’: How to watchVictor will most likely lose its tropical characteristics as it moves into the Central Atlantic. Chief meteorologist Tom TerryClick here to download the WFTV weather app for live updates to your phone, and click here to stream weather coverage on the WFTV now app.

Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, Linnette Johnson said Hispanic Heritage Month is a reminder of her roots.

AdventHealth is returning to “largely normal operations” as it transitions to “green” status after seeing a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A scheduled football game between Ocoee and Apopka High Schools has been postponed because of possible COVID-19 infections. Read: AdventHealth moves to ‘Green status’ as COVID-19 cases dip below 1,000 for first time in monthsAccording to a statement from Orange County Public Schools, the decision to postpone Friday’s game “was made out of an abundance of caution due to COVID-19 cases and quarantines associated with the Ocoee team.”Read: Most parents believe kids are falling behind from virtual learning, study showsThis district said it had notified individuals and parents of students who had been in close contact with confirmed cases. Read: Lockdown lifted, no weapon found at Osceola County high school after reports of weapon on campusThe district would not say when the game would be rescheduled. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

ORLANDO, Fla. — In January, as the number of COVID-19 cases began to surge due to the delta variant, AdventHealth shifted to “Red Status”. By June, the rolling positivity rate in Central Florida had doubled to 26%, something doctors couldn’t have predicted. On Thursday at its regular weekly briefing, AdventHealth announced facilities in its Central Florida Division will shift to “Green Status”. Dr. Neil Finkler with AdventHealth says the move will allow for non-emergency procedures to resume. Read: Mom says schools aren’t doing enough to protect children ineligible for COVID-19 vaccineAdventHealth continues to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to the public at several Centra Care locations.

It was a busy Tuesday morning inside the Daytona International Speedway, though there were no races.

Though the surge caused by the Delta variant of coronavirus is finally waning, AdventHealth officials say Central Florida is far from out of this mess....

AdventHealth leaders announced the hospital system downgraded to “yellow” status after reporting a drop in patients, but doctors are warning we could see another surge.

Officials with the hospital system say the COVID-19 patients have decreased enough to move back to a "yellow status."

ORLANDO, FLA. — Health experts are raising concerns over how the Labor Day holiday will impact the number of COVID-19 cases. Dr. Tim Hendrix with AdventHealth said he expects new COVID-19 cases to rise in the coming weeks. READ: Pfizer booster vaccines likely to begin Sept. 20; Moderna shots may be delayed“Children still make up the majority of positive tests. Young children, school age children are most likely positive at this time,” Hendrix said. Hendrix said doctors are monitoring child cases closely because it could lead to an overall increase in cases.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — AdventHealth is looking to hire in Central Florida and it is offering a two-day career expo in Daytona Beach to attract top medical talents. AdventHealth is hiring for clinical and support roles for its hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, Centra Cares and medical groups. AdventHealth will also be making on-site offers with sign-on incentives of up to $15K, and relocation incentives of up to $3K for select roles. Facilities that will be participating in this expo include: AdventHealth Deland, AdventHealth Daytona Beach, AdventHealth Fish, AdventHealth New Smyrna, AdventHealth Palm Coast, AdventHealth Waterman, AdventHealth Care Centers, AdventHealth Medical Groups and AdventHealth Centra Care. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, and click here to watch the latest news on your Smart TV.

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth announced Tuesday that its Central Florida division will transition to “Red Status,” beginning Sept. 1. The move allows hospitals in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Polk, Volusia and Flagler counties to move forward with certain surgical procedures that had been suspended because of an increase in COVID-19 patients. Study: Moderna vaccine generates more antibodies than Pfizer’s shotOfficials with AdventHealth said while it still has a significant number of COVID-19 patients, a slowdown in admissions allows for the change. Coronavirus: Ohio judge orders hospital to administer ivermectin to COVID-19 patientAdventHealth said they will continue to make adjustments as necessary. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, and click here to watch the latest news on your Smart TV.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — As Central Florida hospitals have more deceased victims than they can handle and more than a dozen federally funded portable morgues make their way here, the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office is also helping out. “We were able to provide some space for both AdventHealth and Orlando Health for temporary storage of some of the deceased,” said Danny Banks, public safety director for Orange County. “We’ll continue working with them throughout this week to provide some of those resources as they need them.”READ: AdventHealth morgues reach capacity due to COVID-19 deathsOver the weekend, Orange County reported 34 COVID-19 deaths. Hospitals are getting some relief as the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations come down, but County Health Officer Dr. Raul Pino said that’s partly because so many people are dying. “And there’s two ways to discharge from a hospital: You get better or you die.”So far in August, 107 people have died from COVID-19 in Orange County.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Fourteen federally funded portable morgue cooler units are heading to Central Florida hospitals in the next few days. The units have a capacity of 12 bodies each. READ: AdventHealth morgues reach capacity due to COVID-19 deathsNow, the Central Florida Disaster Medical Coalition is being called in to help. The coolers are expected by Monday and will go directly to the hospitals, which will move them as needed, Drawdy said. Coronavirus: Florida woman hospitalized with COVID-19 returns home to find husband deadHospitals across Central Florida affiliated with Orlando Health, Health First, The Cleveland Clinic, Halifax and HCA will receive at least one portable morgue.

Central Florida hospital group AdventHealth says their morgues are at capacity due to the overwhelming amount of deaths due to COVID-19 in the area. According...

AdventHealth doctors believe they are starting to see the rate of new COVID-19 infections decline, though the number of coronavirus patients they are treating remains high.

AdventHealth offered a rare bit of good news this morning. The Central Florida hospital group said that the Delta surge of coronavirus may be waning...

Limited urgent outpatient procedures will start up again at AdventHealth despite the high amount of COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to hospital officials.

AdventHealth officials shared several striking stats during their Thursday briefing on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Central Florida hospital group noted that half of their...

As many prepare to get a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in September, epidemiologist Dr. Vincent Hsu with AdventHealth explained what this will mean for our community.

Here's what a health expert says about getting the flu shot and COVID vaccine.

As the treatment makes headlines, the hospital system is reminding families that AdventHealth offers it as an option.

AdventHealth Palm Coast had 82 patients admitted with covid. AdventHealth Central Florida division was reporting 12 children admitted.

AdventHealth’s Central Florida division continues to see a high number of hospitalizations.

Several hospitals reported being over capacity, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

AdventHealth officials said they are treating a record-high number of COVID patients across the Central Florida health care system.

The Central Florida health care system AdventHealth purchased the shuttered religious theme park Holy Land in Orlando, deed documents show.

AdventHealth has put the Holy Land Experience out of its misery. After a year of only opening for brief windows to maintain tax-exempt status, the...

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Florida leads the nation in per capita hospitalizations for COVID-19. As a result, hospitals have had to adjust operations to treat the influx of COVID-19 patients. READ: Central Florida doctors concerned over growing number of children hospitalized with COVID-19“This delta variant has led to a rapid increase in COVID hospitalizations,” said Mary Mayhew with the Florida Hospital Association. Across the state, more than 11,5000 coronavirus patients are in the hospital, exceeding what was experienced in 2020. AdventHealth has its most admitted coronavirus patients ever, at 1,060.

AdventHealth announced it will put more restrictions on visitors starting Monday due to soaring COVID-19 cases. This comes after the hospital changed its status from red to black as Florida hit a COVID-19 hospitization record. READ: Florida breaks record for COVID-19 hospitalizations, previous record set more than a year agoEffective Monday, AdventHealth is tightening visitation policies. Restrictions include moving from in-person visits to virtual visits for COVID-19 positive patients and one visitor allowed at a time for non-COVID-19 patients. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 COVID-19 delta variant The COVID-19 delta variant has been identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States.

The policy change is being made to support AdventHealth team members better care for the increasing number of COVID patients being seen across Central Florida.

Victor Barbosa, the Palm Coast City Council member, announced in a terse Facebook post: "3 day in the hospital fighting covid and pneumonia."

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise in Florida, medical providers are limiting their resources from being used elsewhere.

AdventHealth's chief nursing officer says the health care system has enough supplies to get through the most recent surge of COVID-19 cases but its staff are exhausted and need relief soon.

Officials with Central Florida’s largest hospital system said there are about 1,000 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday and crews are currently working in a black status.

AdventHealth Central Florida is moving to “black” status amid the rising number of COVID-19 patients, officials said Thursday. Under the status, AdventHealth will defer non-emergency surgeries at hospitals throughout the division. READ: Here’s where & when face masks are required, recommended in Central Florida“Cases continue to rise sharply with no sign that the surge is beginning to decelerate,” said Dr. Neil Finkler, chief clinical officer of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division. “This important step will help us create more resources for our clinical teams, and ensure that we can continue to care for our community.”As of Thursday morning, AdventHealth has about 1,000 COVID-19 inpatients across the Central Florida division. READ: ‘We haven’t seen the end of it’: Current COVID-19 surge likely to continue, doctors say“Black” status for the hospital also means:All hospital-based outpatient procedures will be deferred.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — AdventHealth doctors said Central Floridians should be prepared for a long siege and surge of the latest wave of COVID-19. READ: Here’s where you can get the COVID-19 vaccine in Orlando in AugustJUST IN from @DohOrange:- 1,126 new cases of Covid-19 in @OrangeCoFL yesterday. 26 were breakthrough cases. This is still coming.”And in a disturbing trend, doctors said several pregnant women have been admitted to the ICU and put on ventilators. READ: Orange County mayor declares local state of emergency, urges all to wear masks indoorsBoth hospitals show about 95% of those being admitted with COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

The Flagler Health Department and the hospital are overrun with Covid, but local governments and the Palm Coast community are indifferent.

Officials with Central Florida’s largest hospital system said there are about 1,000 patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Current coronavirus hospitalizations in Florida have tripled in three weeks, according to data from the Health and Human Services.

AdventHealth, Central Florida’s largest hospital chain, has once again elevated its emergency status due to rising COVID-19 patients, health care officials announced Monday.

Health First in Brevard County has announced plans to postpone some surgeries in an effort to free up hospital beds as COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations continue rising across Central Florida.

Flagler County recorded 99 confirmed covid infections on Sunday alone, coming off a week when the county recorded a record 400 infections over seven days, according to the Flagler County Health Department’s chief. There are outbreaks at the Flagler County jail, mostly inmates, and at Brookdale assisted living, the former Sterling House on Club House Drive off Palm Coast Parkway, Bob Snyder, the health department chief, said. In Flagler, only the hospital, among prominent institutions, has returned to mandatory, universal masking. There had been no deaths related to covid for several weeks in Flagler County. The top 15 states with the highest rate of infections are all deep red or Republican-leaning states, with Arizona’s exception.

Orange County leaders gave a somber update on the county’s COVID-19 response Monday.

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth is further limiting its elective non-time-sensitive outpatient surgeries as the hospital system continues to deal with “significant and swift” increases in COVID-19 cases in Central Florida. Hospital officials said Monday that they have 862 people hospitalized with COVID-19. They said the daily positivity rate at AdventHealth Centra Care also remains at near all-time highs. Dr. Victor Herrera with AdventHealth said in-patient numbers of COVID-19 cases is reaching an all-time high. READ: Central Florida sees rise in COVID-19 variant cases, hospitalizationsThe hospital system said 94% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across AdventHealth’s nationwide system are unvaccinated.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Local hospitals are taking extra precautions and issuing more protocols amid a new spike in COVID-19 vases and the highly contagious delta variant. AdventHealth is leading the way in pausing some surgeries and limiting visitations, but other hospital systems are watching closely and taking precautions. “We’re seeing an influx of patients faster than we’re seeing before, said Dr. Neil Finkler, with AdventHealth. Now, the hospital is scaling back on hospital visits and suspending new elective surgeries that require patients to be hospitalized. Halifax Health is not limiting surgeries, but it is increasing its push to recommend mask wearing and social distancing.

Leaders at AdventHealth have moved their hospitals back to a "yellow status,"taking new precautionary measures due to rising COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth officials said they are limiting visitations and deferring new elective surgeries that require hospitalizations due to increasing COVID-19 cases. Officials said those changes are due to the hospital system proactively moving to yellow status. That status means non-COVID-19 patients are limited to two visitors at a time, COVID-19 patients age 18 and older can have one visitor per day and those under 18 can have two adult visitors per day. Hospital officials said outpatient procedures, labs and pediatric surgeries will continue as scheduled. AdventHealth officials said they have not decided yet on requiring employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Central Florida hospitals are seeing a surge in the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, though they have yet to reach levels seen early on in the...

The agreement will also blanket the district in AdventHealth marketing, capturing for AdventHealth alone as a health care provider the district’s 13,000 students and their parents. With that addition, AdventHealth will eventually become the largest employer in the county, equaling or exceeding the school district’s 1,676 employees. In exchange, the district will pay AdventHealth $150,000 (or $30,000 a year) to defray the cost of athletic trainers. “AdventHealth shall have exclusive naming rights, marketing and health care related sponsorship rights in Flagler Schools,” the agreement states, preventing any other health care provider from jointly promoting or sponsoring school events or activities. Ottati had previously been the CEO of what was then known as Florida Hospital Flagler, now AdventHealth Palm Coast, and had raised four children, who attended Flagler County schools.

Orange County leaders are reporting some of the highest COVID-19 cases since the holiday peak back in January, including almost 2,000 new cases this past weekend and five deaths.

ORLANDO, Fla. — A new report from the White House claims Florida makes up 20% of all new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. The report also claims those cases are the highly contagious delta variant. WATCH: AdventHealth doctors says eligible children should get COVID-19 vaccines before school startsLocal health leaders are also raising the alarm and said they see a spike in cases. Seminole County Emergency Management’s director, Alan Harris, said that three weeks ago, the county had 300 COVID-19 cases. WATCH: ‘Basically back to square one’: Cases going up, vaccinations going down in Orange CountyThey also said most of those patients are unvaccinated.

Doctors are urging parents to get their kids, who are 12 and older, vaccinated before they go back to class.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Join WFTV 9 Family Connection and our partners Gold Key Roofing, Fun Spot America, Stanley Steemer and The UPS Store for the Track Shack Celebration of Running 5K presented by AdventHealth. Kick off the running season and celebrate Track Shack’s 44th anniversary of their store and running series! There is also a virtual option and a kids fun run! Register today: https://www.trackshack.com/event/233/registrationAll proceeds from this 5K will go to The Orlando Science Center. A visit to Orlando Science Center creates lifetime memories while building an understanding of the role STEM plays in addressing real world challenges.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized at AdventHealth in Central Florida has jumped by about 100 during the past two weeks to about 310, the hospital system said. As cases rise, AdventHealth said it is finding more cases of Delta, Gamma and other variants of the virus. Delta variant: 5 things to know about the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the US“The key to this, though, is that you are still protected from the Delta and Gamma variants if you are vaccinated,” Dr. Steven R. Smith, AdventHealth’s chief scientific officer, said in a news release. Of about 1,000 specimens AdventHealth has submitted from COVID-19 patients, about half have turned up as Delta and Gamma variants, which are more contagious and more fatal. READ: Should schools require the COVID-19 vaccine?

Physicians with AdventHealth are discussing recent findings related to the delta variant and efforts to control rising cases of COVID-19.

A man faces charges after he attacked three people at an AdventHealth hospital in Palm Coast after staff told him that his mother could not accompany him in the ER waiting room, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.

Job seekers in the health care industry flooded into the Amway Center on Tuesday as AdventHealth kicked of a two-day career expo.

A Volusia County woman says an emergency medical procedure is costing her thousands of dollars out of pocket, even though she has insurance.

AdventHealth doctors discuss where the pandemic stands.