Florida reports 3 more COVID-19 deaths in Jacksonville; 112 prison cases increase Columbia County number

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health reported 12,624 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, below the record peak on Sunday, but the second highest daily increase in the state.

Most area counties are a far cry from their daily record increases, but Columbia County added 114, a 24.6% increase in 24 hours. The Columbia County Department of Health reported that 112 of those cases came from Columbia Corrections and there was no jump in infections among county residents.

The state now reports 282,435 cases, double the number on June 28, just 15 days ago.

Three of the 35 Floridians whose deaths were attributed to COVID-19 in Monday’s data were from Jacksonville, bringing the Duval County total to 84. The deaths were from an 86-year-old woman and two men, aged 78 and 93 years.

Since the pandemic hit Florida, 4,381 Florida residents and visitors to the state of Florida have died from the virus.

The state reported 277 new hospital admissions within 24 hours on Monday, bringing the total number of Florida residents who have been hospitalized since the coronavirus pandemic began to 18,498.

Helen Ferre, a DeSantis spokeswoman, said Sunday that the state has examined more than 2.4 million people for COVID-19.

Florida’s rate of positive tests on Sunday was 11.5%, while the percentage of tests that tested positive in Duval County was 11.2%. Columbia County’s positive rate since Sunday was 19.8%.

“The increased number of people testing and reporting proportionally negative for this virus is significant,” Ferre wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

The tests have doubled in the past month, from about 25,000 tests per day to more than 50,000, but the percentage of people who tested positive has increased even more dramatically. A month ago, less than 5% of tests tested positive on a daily average. During the past week, the daily average exceeded 19%.

“I still think we need to increase our testing a little more,” said University of Florida epidemiologist Dr. Cindy Prins, adding that state and local health departments should increase their follow-up contacts.

Prins said he is still concerned about large crowds, gyms, and some restaurants as mass broadcast sites. Reports of illegal clubs and raves in South Florida are also a concern, he said.

“I really think we could control this, and it is the human element that is so critical. It should be an effort of our country. We should be united when we are in a crisis, and we definitely are not, “he said. “I know that people want to live their lives. There have been many other times, people have made those sacrifices to benefit our society. It is almost like a war effort. That is what we need now. “

Throughout May and through June, the state reopened much of its economy with some restrictions, and the number of positive cases began to increase, but it was not until the last week that total daily deaths also began to increase.

Due to the increase in cases and the positivity rate, doctors have predicted an increase in deaths, saying that the death rate generally increases two to four weeks later as some of the infected become ill and eventually die. Health experts are concerned that people are congregating and have voiced concerns that the Republican National Convention nomination party for President Donald Trump will be held in Jacksonville in August.

On Saturday, the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopened at Walt Disney World in Orlando, in connection with health experts urging people not to gather in groups. Park guests said people wore masks and social distancing, and the videos showed almost empty parks.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that even with the rate hike, he still wants schools to reopen as scheduled for next month, saying children have not been shown to be vectors of the disease in the states and countries where campuses are open. He said that while each county will have to propose procedures, depending on their local infection rate, not opening schools would exacerbate the achievement gap between high- and low-achieving students. Throughout May and through June, the state reopened much of its economy with some restrictions, and the number of positive cases began to increase, but it was not until the last week that total daily deaths also began to increase.

Due to the increase in cases and the positivity rate, doctors have predicted an increase in deaths, saying that the death rate generally increases two to four weeks later as some of the infected become ill and eventually die. Health experts are concerned that people are congregating and have voiced concerns that the Republican National Convention nomination party for President Donald Trump will be held in Jacksonville in August.

On Saturday, the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopened at Walt Disney World in Orlando, in connection with health experts urging people not to gather in groups. Park guests said people wore masks and social distancing, and the videos showed almost empty parks.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that even with the rate hike, he still wants schools to reopen as scheduled for next month, saying children have not been shown to be vectors of the disease in the states and countries where campuses are open. He said that while each county will have to propose procedures, depending on their local infection rate, not opening schools would exacerbate the achievement gap between high- and low-achieving students. On June 29, Jacksonville Mayor Curry issued a facial mask mandate for Jacksonville, which requires people to wear masks indoors when they cannot socially distance themselves.

Jacksonville added three new federal testing sites at locations throughout the city on Wednesday. The sites were opened because Jacksonville has been designated an “emergency site” by the federal government, and DeSantis said the new sites will help identify areas of concern.

RELATED: Walk-in testing now available at Regency Square Mall site

This week, the city will open three of its own test sites located in the communities of Arlington, Mandarin and Beaches.

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