Key West has its first COVID-19 cases, health officials say
Key West has its first reported cases of COVID-19, Monroe County’s top health department officer said Monday morning during a briefing with emergency officials.
Bob Eadie, administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County, told government officials and business owners on a conference call meeting Monday morning that epidemiological test results were pending, but they could be in by later in the day.
By 11:45 a.m., Eadie confirmed a total of two cases in the Keys, with a third awaiting confirmation by the health department.
Two people so far have been confirmed by the state as positive for the novel coronavirus, reports said Monday.
A 72-year-old woman in Key Largo who had recently traveled to the United Kingdom is expected to fully recovery, health officials said.
The woman lives in the gated community of Ocean Reef.
The second case is a 54-year-old woman.
“All indications of this infection indicate that it was acquired from her travel from France,” said health department spokeswoman Alison Kerr. “This individual is isolated at her home and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by the Department. She is expected to make a full recovery.
Eadie said he expects more since more people have been tested in recent weeks but as of Monday morning, he said none of the cases were the result of community spread.
“Everything is travel-related, everything we’ve had as far as a positive,” Eadie told FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald. “There’s not too many positives. So far it’s all international travel.”
Tom White, executive director of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, said one of the utility’s workers came into contact with one of the patients in Key West and was told to stay home.
As of Monday at 12 p.m., the state health department reported that 62 people have been tested in Monroe County. Of the two, two are positive while 43 were negative and 17 were pending results.
“Don’t panic, you’re doing your job,” Dr. John Norris, of Key West, said to residents in a video message on his Facebook page. “You’re taking care of all of us by staying home and socially isolating. The majority of the test kits are negative.”
On Sunday, the county closed all hotels in the Keys at 6 p.m. The city of Key West is closing all nonessential retail businesses at 5 p.m. Monday.
The Keys have officially closed to tourists and “leisure travelers,” the county said Sunday night.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 10:46 AM.
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