Coronavirus: Over 8,000 cases reported since phase 2 began in Florida one week ago
This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. (Photo by: IMAGE POINT FR - LPN/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Get
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - As of Friday, Florida has been in phase 2 of reopening for one full week. This phase of Governor Ron DeSantis’ ‘Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step Plan for Florida’s Recovery’ brought higher capacity limits and allowed more businesses, like movie theaters and bars, to reopen.
Florida saw its biggest increase in daily reported coronavirus cases on Friday with another 1,902 cases. In the past week, Florida has added more than 8,000 cases.
“This is a big deal and it’s getting worse,” Seminole County Medical Director Todd Husty said. “We were so close to zero. We were that close and then we started opening up.”
“We are on our way up, there is no other way to describe it,” said Dr. Raul Pino, director of the Department of Health in Orange County.
Dr. Pino broke down the numbers in Orange County, which increased by 128 cases on Thursday.
Some people FOX 35 News spoke to say they think people are not taking the virus as seriously anymore.
"Mostly not wearing masks, what I see," said one resident.
Another reason for the rise in confirmed cases could also be that the county has expanded testing to where outbreaks are detected, such as ‘hot zone’ zip codes.
According to the county health department, the number of asymptomatic cases has doubled to 21-percent and about half of the cases are people between the ages of 20 and 40.
The good news is that the county positivity rate is hovering around 3-percent, which is better than the state’s positivity rate of 5-percent.
County leaders are reminding people to continue to practice social distancing, wear face masks in public, and practice good hygiene.