Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood says health officials are keeping Floridians 'in the dark' during COVID-19 outbreak
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood is enraged over what he calls a lack of transparency from the Florida Department of Health, an agency that he says is keeping Floridians "in the dark" during a national emergency.
“We are living in a time that America has never seen. You have a state and national emergency,” Chitwood said. “You have a state department of health that is in complete disconnect.”
The outspoken sheriff took to Facebook Friday night to reveal that not only are there at least four confirmed cases of coronavirus in Volusia County, but listing 20 other potential cases in seven cities throughout the county: Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna, Deltona, DeLand, and DeBary.
It's information he wouldn't say where he got and wasn't available to other departments.
“I spoke to other sheriffs and fire chiefs around the state, this morning. None of them had the information I had,” Chitwood said.
He said specific names and addresses were in their system so first responders could know if they were responding to a case involving a potential coronavirus patient.
He said the state health department should be giving that to everyone.
“I sit there and I chafe that we're playing with the lives of our first responders and nobody's got the guts to challenge Tallahassee for the idiotic orders they're putting out,” Chitwood said.
Chitwood said at least listing the cities where potential coronavirus patients live is important for residents, too.
“Why not inform the citizens of what's going on?” he said.
Volusia County health officials say they have to balance public safety with people's privacy.
“Let me reassure you that I completely understand the interest everyone has in having more information regarding these cases,” said Patricia Boswell, from the Volusia County Health Department.
Chitwood says after this he's not sure he'll be getting the information about potential cases anymore, but he says the information flow needed to change.
“Whoever would stop it from coming out is a coward. Come talk to the families of first responders and explain to the wives, husbands and children why you wouldn't give them information to protect their lives," Chitwood said.