Coronavirus update: 8 cases tied to Florida
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Three cases of COVID-19 have been diagnosed in Florida, including two residents of the state who have tested positive and one visitor from another state whose status is "presumptive positive." Five additional Florida residents have tested positive for the virus, but they are in other parts of the country, where they will remain until healthy.
During a news conference earlier in the day, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke of one of the five Florida residents who is out of state and confirmed to have the virus. That individual is said to be under a self-quarantine in Washington State and has not stepped foot in Florida since testing positive. The individual had recently returned to America following a trip to Asia.
The governor noted that an estimated 125 million visitors travel to Florida each year from every corner of the world, with many wanting to come to Orlando.
"I've been very supportive of the [Trump] Administration's efforts on the restrictions of travel on places in China. They are screening before and after flights from Italy to the United States. I support that and would obviously support further restrictions there," the governor said, "but even doing that in areas that have outbreaks -- the fact of the matter is that -- you have countries all over the world, people come and go here. We want to make sure that we are prepared to deal with eventualities as they come."
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A Florida Department of Health official also spoke during the news conference and confirmed that there are no pending tests in Orange County and all tests so far -- have been negative. Thirty are still being monitored.
“Those numbers are decreasing by the day because the number of travelers are decreasing. But also, we only watch them for 14 days and many of them have passed the 14 days,” said Raul Pino, Orange County Health Officer at the Florida Department of Health.
The Department has stayed in contact with the theme parks and hotels in Orange County. They are going to further be in contact with the senior citizen nursing homes and living facilities, as the virus could have a greater impact on them than healthier and younger individuals.
MOBILE USERS: Click here to watch the news conference with Governor Ron DeSantis in Orange County
Florida now has four residents with coronavirus. At least two of them have been confirmed by the CDC, while one tested 'presumptively positive' at a Florida lab and is still awaiting CDC confirmation. The newest patient is the one said to be self-quarantined in Washington state.
There are currently 247 people under public health monitoring in Florida, the Florida Department of Health confirmed. The state remains in a 'public health emergency' as officials work to stop the spread of coronavirus in Florida. The emergency status equips the state with the necessary resources to do so. For example, Tampa, Miami, and Jacksonville have testing centers for COVID-19. Tests are performed at these laboratories and results are shown in 24 to 48 hours. If the patient tests positive, then the specimens are sent to the CDC for final confirmation.
Coronavirus is described to be a mild sickness. The Governor previously said that 80 percent of those who contract coronavirus can treat it and recover at home. However, it can be much more serious for elderly people or those with prior immune complications.
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If you feel sick, officials advise that you call the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Agents will answer questions Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov.
They also advised the following tips to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including the coronavirus:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick and avoid contact with persons in poor health.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
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