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Escambia and Pensacola rank high in per capita COVID-19 cases; County Commission among least proactive in Florida

Rick Outzen

DOH reports that,  as of 6 p.m. March 31, there are 6,741 total Florida cases.

While Florida’s testing has increased over the past week, the percent of those testing positive for COVID-19 overall is 11 percent. Of the 7,474 tests performed on March 30, there were 1,006 positive results, or 13 percent.

Between the 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. DOH reports, eight more people died who tested positive for COVID-19 in Dade, Lee, Manatee, Palm Beach and Sarasota counties.

Inweekly has begun taking 24-hour snapshots of the statistics.  The counties in Northwest Florida are seeing cases increase at an average of 23%, which is greater than the state percentage of 18%.

3/30/20 3/31/20
6 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Increase
Total Cases 5704 6741 1037 18.18%
Florida Residents 5489 6490 1001 18.24%
Non-Fla. 215 251 36 16.74%
Deaths 71 85 14 19.72%
Escambia 76 94 18 23.68%
Okaloosa 32 39 7 21.88%
Santa Rosa 36 44 8 22.22%
Broward 1113 1219 106 9.52%

Escambia Remains in Top 12  The Escambia Board of County Commissioner joins Collier County as the only two counties on this list that haven’t passed any order regarding stay-at-home, non-essential businesses, social distancing or even adoption of the Florida Surgeon General’s health advisory. The only vote has been to close the public beaches.

Rank County Population Cases Per 30K
1 Dade     2,715,516 2123           23.45 Safer-at-home
2 Palm Beach     1,446,277 551           11.43 Non-essential
3 Orange     1,321,194 373             8.47 Stay-at-home
4 Hillsborough     1,378,883 305             6.64 Safer-at-home
5 Duval        924,229 207             6.72 Work-at-home
6 Lee        718,679 206             8.60 Surgeon Gen.**
7 Pinellas        957,875 167             5.23 Safer-at-home
8 Collier        363,922 146           12.04
9 Broward        924,229 119             3.86 Stay-at-home
10 Osceola        338,619 110             9.75 Stay-at-home
11 Seminole        455,086 103             6.79 Social Distance*
12 Escambia        311,522 94             9.05

*Seminole County Commission: Effective Monday, March 30, 2020 at 12:00a.m., Seminole County’s Social Distancing Order allows businesses to remain open pending the following conditions:

a)    All employees and patrons must practice social distancing by staying at least six (6) feet apart;
b)    Group meeting and/or training sizes must be limited to ten (10) people or less;
c)    Limit occupancy to 30% of the maximum allowable capacity under the fire code, for non-residential, non-medical, and non-lodging uses; and
d)   Checkout points and staging areas, including store fronts, must be monitored for social distancing requirements by means of marking floors or similar actions to maintain six (6) feet distance between customers.

The Executive Order also limits social gatherings to a maximum of 10 persons. Read the Full Executive Order: Social Distancing

**Lee County Commission: Passed Resolution 20-03-21 Adopting Florida Surgeon General Public Health Advisory which recommended resident age 65 and over to stay at home.

The Florida Department of Health also tracks cases by zip codes. The table below includes the cities and counties of residence for cases in Florida residents based on the patient’s ZIP Code. Note that city is not always received as part of the initial notification and may be missing while the case is being investigated. Data verified as of Mar 31, 2020 at 5 p.m.

Of the Florida with at least 60 cases, Pensacola is in the top 10 Florida cities for case per 10,000 people, tied for seventh with Kissimmee.

Rank City, County Population Cases Per 10K
1 West Palm Beach, Palm Bch        108,855 882 81
2 Naples, Collier          21,564 119 55
3 Hollywood, Broward        151,056 401 27
4 Miami, Dade        451,214 1179 26
5 Miami Beach, Dade          91,826 238 26
6 Fort Lauderdale, Broward        178,783 300 17
7 Pensacola, Escambia          52,562 64 12
7 Kissimmee, Osceola          69,833 82 12
9 Fort Myers, Lee          76,591 88 11
9 Boynton Beach, Palm Beach          75,720 83 11

 

Last month, Escambia County Administrator Janice Gilley and her Emergency Director Eric Gilmore said that we waiting to see the COVID-19 virus spread in our community before acting. Well, the test results are showing the spread is happening.

(Both this chart and the one above are from the latest data published by DOH. I can’t explain why one has Pensacola with 64 cases and the other shows 58.)

Area Cases
Pensacola 58
Cantonment 15
Navarre 13
Gulf Breeze 10
Milton 10
Bellview 5
Pace 2
Perdido Key 1
Unknown 1

The News Service of Florida’s analysis of the numbers:

BY THE NUMBERS: CORONAVIRUS — TUESDAY EVENING EDITION

BY NSF Staff

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Department of Health released updated numbers Tuesday evening about the coronavirus in the state. Here are some takeaways:

— 6,741: Total number of cases.

— 403: Increase in cases from a Tuesday morning count.

— 85: Deaths of Florida residents.

— 8: Increase in deaths from a Tuesday morning count.

— 857: Number of Florida residents hospitalized.

— 85: Increase in hospitalizations from a Tuesday morning count.

— 72: Number of cases in long-term care facilities.

— 83: Percentage of deaths involving people age 65 or older.

— 3: Percentage of deaths involving people under age 45.

— 13: Number of people age 90 or older who have died.

— 96: Age of oldest people who have died.

— 28: Age of youngest person who has died.

Source: Florida Department of Health

More Testing

As I reported yesterday: At its drive-thru facility, Ascension Sacred Heart has tested 2,276 people, and results are back on 2,218 (97.45%). Sacred Heart reported 2,104 negatives and 114 positives (5.1%) The positives are from:

DOH reports that its labs have conducted 917 tests on Escambia County residents – of which 94 tested positive, 10.25%. Two tests are pending.

Santa Rosa total tests: 375 Positives: 44 Percentage: 11.73% Pending: 2.

Okaloosa total tests: 275 Positives: 39 Percentage: 14.18% Pending: 42.

Baptist Health Care COVID-19 Update #8
March 31, 2020

• Baptist Health Care now offers online assessment screenings for COVID-19 to determine if further diagnostic testing is needed. Anyone who is concerned about a possible exposure to COVID-19 or is exhibiting symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath can complete an initial online assessment screening using a smartphone, tablet or computer. The online screening helps keep patients safe and reduces the risk of possible spread of the virus by limiting visits to a facility or clinic for the initial assessment.

The assessment screening begins at eBaptistHealthCare.org. The screening can also be accessed by texting “Screen” to 850.318.3080. Once the online screening is completed, options for further preventative measures or screenings, if indicated, are offered. Those whose assessment indicates the need for further testing will receive a phone call from a Baptist Health Care team member who will schedule an appointment.

The online assessment screening is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. More information is available at eBaptistHealthCare.org.

For Commissioner Doug Underhill:

The National Review, considered the bible of American conservatism, reports  researchers from Saudi Arabia find “no evidence that spread rates decline with temperatures above 20 [degrees Celsius], suggesting that the COVID-19 disease is unlikely to behave as a seasonal respiratory virus.”

I love it when the facts get in the way of a rant.

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