For weeks, Osceola County has had the second-most number of coronavirus cases in Central Florida, behind only Orange County. But Osceola has given up that distinction and is now fourth locally.

The Florida Department of Health reports 509 COVID-19 cases in Osceola (14th in the state) as of this morning, slowing down enough over the last week or so to allow both Volusia (513) and Polk (523) counties, who reached exactly 500 on Friday, to pass us here. Orange County has over 1,400 cases.

Osceola County added only 30 new cases over a seven-day stretch that began Monday. Hospitalizations have also been fairly flat, adding just 14 since Monday.

But the reality is that Osceola did finally break through the 500-case mark, and an eighth fatality was reported over the weekend, an 85-year-old female who passed away on April 24. The DOH noted she had contact with a confirmed case.