Florida at nearly 2,500 COVID-19 cases. Four new Broward deaths not reflected by state
Florida is just shy of 2,500 COVID-19 cases, as Florida’s Department of Health confirmed 129 more cases and one new death Thursday evening, bringing the state total of confirmed cases to 2,484. The death toll is now at 29, up from 23 on Wednesday.
But news reports detailing three more deaths at the assisted living facility in Broward County — where three residents have already died from COVID-19 — were not reported in the state’s latest numbers on Thursday evening.
Nor was the death of a Margate doctor in Broward reflected in the state’s numbers, as state health officials have listed the number of deaths in Broward at three since Saturday.
The reports of four new deaths would bring Broward’s death toll to seven.
The latest death announced by the state, on Thursday evening, was a person in Highlands County.
On Thursday morning, five other deaths were confirmed: Two in Clay County, two in Orange County, and one in Hillsborough County, according to the health department. All of them were Florida residents and had tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus:
▪ A 65-year-old man in Clay County who had contact with someone who tested positive for the disease. It’s unknown if he had recently traveled.
▪ A 77-year-old woman in Clay County who is not considered a travel-related case and did not have contact with someone who tested positive for the disease.
▪ A 73-year-old man in Orange County who is not considered a travel-related case. It’s unknown if he had contact with someone who tested positive for the disease.
▪ A 90-year-old man in Orange County who is not a travel-related case. Health officials did not specify if he had contact with someone who tested positive for the disease.
▪ A 69-year-old man in Hillsborough County. He is the first COVID-19 death in the county, according to health records. He did not have contact with someone who tested positive for the disease, but it’s unknown if he recently traveled.
Thursday evening, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported three more people had died at Atria Willow Wood, an assisted living facility in Fort Lauderdale where three people had already died. It said the facility announced the news.
In addition, Dr. Alex Hsu, a 67-year-old Margate internist died on Wednesday and is the first South Florida medical professional to die from COVID-19.
Since Monday, there have been more than 10 confirmed COVID-19 deaths throughout the state, including five-time Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally.
McNally is best known for his top-billed Broadway musicals “Ragtime” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and the musical adaption of hit movies, including “Anastasia,” according to Playbill.com. He died at Sarasota Memorial Hospital on Tuesday from COVID-19 complications.
COVID-19 CASES IN SOUTH FLORIDA
More than half of the newly confirmed cases were in South Florida, the epicenter of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The Florida Department of Health added 38 cases in Miami-Dade County, bringing the total to 654. Just 121 have known links to travel, with 413 of the confirmed cases listed as “travel unknown” and 120 considered “not travel-related.”
In Broward County, one case was added, bringing the total to 505, with 127 of the cases currently linked to travel. Health officials say 211 of the cases are listed as “travel unknown” with 167 considered “not travel-related.”
Palm Beach County had five more cases confirmed, bringing the total up to 174. Just 41 have known links to travel with 96 listed as “travel unknown” and 37 as “not travel-related.”
Two more cases were confirmed in Monroe County, bringing the total number in the Florida Keys to 14. Eleven have known links to travel and three as “not travel-related.”
The rise of confirmed cases falls in line with testing availability in the state, particularly in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, as more drive-thru testing sites open.
South Florida resident breakdown on ages, hospitalizations, deaths
Here’s a South Florida breakdown based on Florida’s Department of Health COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard:
Miami-Dade County: 654
▪ 638 residents, 15 non-residents and one resident who is not in Florida
▪ Age Range: 3 to 99, average age is 46
▪ Zero deaths and 72 hospitalizations
Broward County: 505
▪ 487 residents and 18 non-residents
▪ Age range: 0 to 97, average age is 48
▪ Three deaths and 73 hospitalizations
Palm Beach County: 174
▪ 163 residents, nine non-residents and two residents who are not in Florida
▪ Age Range: 6 to 88, average age is 49
▪ Three deaths and 27 hospitalizations
Monroe County: 14
▪ 12 residents and two non-residents
▪ Age range is 19 to 80, average age is 53
▪ Zero deaths and three hospitalizations
This breaking news article will be updated once more information becomes available.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 11:49 AM.
