Polk County joined the rest of Florida in closing out 2021 with record numbers of COVID-19 infections, but hospitalizations and deaths are substantially below their summertime peaks.
Tag: coronavirus
Posted inHealth
Demand for COVID-19 Tests Rises as Omicron Drives Polk Cases
Demand for COVID-19 tests — evidenced by long lines of cars at the RP Funding Center testing site — is outstripping demand in Polk County as new infections surge, according to Dr. Joy Jackson of the Florida Department of Health. Laboratory tests have confirmed that the omicron variant has arrived in Polk, she tells The […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Health
LkldNow Readers Favored Entertainment, Health News in 2021
Entertainment and health articles drew the largest audiences on LkldNow in 2021, reflecting both interest in COVID-19 prevention and perhaps ways to find respite from the pandemic.
Posted inHealth
New COVID-19 Cases in Polk Jumped 262% Last Week
New COVID-19 cases in Polk County rose last week to 1,792 from 495 the previous week, according to the latest weekly tally from the Florida Department of Health. That 262% increase is the largest week-over-week jump since the state started reporting coronavirus numbers in March 2020.
Posted inHealth
Polk Seeing an Upward Bump in COVID-19 Cases
After Polk County experienced its lowest COVID-19 numbers in months during November, both the volume of cases and testing positivity have gradually increased during December. Dr. Joy Jackson, who directs the Florida Department of Health’s Polk office, calls last week’s 32% week-over-week rise in new cases “quite alarming” and warns we could be seeing a […]
Posted inHealth
As Polk COVID Cases Fall, Testing Positivity Drops to Lowest-Ever Level
COVID 19 in Polk County for the week ending Nov. 4, according to the Florida Department of Health: New cases: 332, the lowest since mid-June 2020 and the 10th consecutive week of decreases Testing positivity: 2.8%, the lowest since testing started in March 2020 (The state is no longer disclosing how many people were tested.) New vaccinations: 1,649, […]
Posted inHealth
State Closes Its Free Monoclonal Antibody Center in Lakeland
The state of Florida shut down its monoclonal antibody treatment center in Lakeland on Friday amid lessened demand for the COVID-19 treatment, News Channel 8 reports. At least 12 of the state’s 25 sites are closing, the station reports. While treatments at the state’s centers are free, patients may face a charge at hospitals or […]
Posted inHealth
Polk’s COVID-19 Numbers Declining; Testing Positivity Lowest in 17 Months
COVID 19 in Polk County for the week ending Oct. 28, according to the Florida Department of Health: New cases: 413, the lowest since mid-June Testing positivity: 3.4%, the lowest since mid-May 2020 New vaccinations: 1,626, down from 1,754 the previous week. Vaccinations have decreased every week since 9,560 were administered the last week of […]
Posted inNews Roundup
Read It in the Morning Paper: Downtown, COVID
DOWNTOWN: Onicx Construction of Tampa wants to turn the city-owned Oak Street parking lot into a parking garage and five-story apartment building with retail. City officials will negotiate with the company on property purchase, development details and incentives after city commissioners selected it between two companies that submitted proposals. The city plans to lease 150 […]
Posted inEducation, Health
Polk Schools Lose 17 Employees to COVID-19 This School Year
COVID-19 has claimed the lives of at least 17 Polk County Public Schools employees this school year; twelve were “active” employees who had returned to work when classes resumed this fall, and five had not returned. School Board member Lynn Wilson tells News Channel 8, “Our hands are tied. The reality is — you can’t […]
