NEWS

Coronavirus: 5 more deaths in Big Bend; 73 new cases in Leon County

Casey Chapter
Tallahassee Democrat

As Leon County gains 73 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, at least five more people in the Big Bend have died because of complications due to the coronavirus, the Florida Department of Health reports.

Leon County's new cases include six children under the age of 18. The youngest of the new cases is a 5-year-old boy, while the oldest is a 79-year-old man.

More:Florida's COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard (Department of Health)

A 75-year-old Gadsden County man was one of those who died because of the virus. He is the 18th Gadsden resident to die of the virus, according to the state health department.

Three Jackson County residents have died because of COVID-19, the department also reports. They include two 91-year-old women and a 94-year-old man.

Jackson County now has a total of 31 coronavirus-related deaths, according to the state health department. That is the second highest death toll in the Florida Panhandle, behind Escambia County's 95.

Also among the Big Bend coronavirus deaths was an 81-year-old Wakulla County woman. She is the third COVID-19-related fatality in Wakulla County, the health department reports.

The Department of Health does not provide further details about the deceased individuals, except that they were all Florida residents. The department confirmed all of the local deaths on Friday.

Guests get their temperature taken as they arrive to attend the official re-opening day of Epcot at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Wednesday, July 15, 2020. All four of Disney's Florida parks are now open, including Hollywood Studios, the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, with limited capacity and safety protocols in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Local hospitalizations

On Friday, there were 70 people admitted with COVID-19, local hospitals report. This is down from 72 hospitalizations on Thursday.

Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare had 40 inpatients who were positive for the virus, according to the hospital's online dashboard. This is three fewer patients than on Thursday.

More:TMH coronavirus dashboard

Capital Regional Medical Center reported 30 patients who were positive for COVID-19, which is one more hospitalization than on Thursday.

Local testing

The testing site at FAMU's Bragg Memorial Stadium will not be closed after all for the tropical storm. Originally, the site was to close till the storm cleared out.

As it veered east, officials said the site will remain open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. The site is open Monday through Saturday and will test walk-ups.

Cases in local prisons

At Jefferson Correctional Institution in Monticello, 36 more inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. The prison now has 74 inmates and 38 staff members who are positive.

The corrections department reports 399 inmate tests were pending Friday.

At Wakulla Correctional Institution, 67 staff members have tested positive. However, on Thursday, the corrections department reported 73 staffers at the facility had tested positive.

Rob Klepper, deputy communications director for the Florida Department of Corrections, explained the reason for the discrepancy.

He said some staff members had been mistakenly counted twice in Thursday's count, and the total number of positive-testing employees is 67.

Coronavirus cases by county

  • Leon County has 4,171 cases out of 53,600 tests. Positivity rate: 8%
  • Gadsden County has 1,347 cases out of 10,988 tests. Positivity rate: 12%
  • Franklin County has 108 cases out of 2,510 tests. Positivity rate: 4%
  • Jackson County has 1,566 cases out of 9,917 tests. Positivity rate: 16%
  • Calhoun County has 281 cases out of 2,189 tests. Positivity rate: 13%
  • Liberty County has 370 cases out of 3,017 tests. Positivity rate: 12%
  • Madison County has 604 cases out of 4,766 tests. Positivity rate: 13%
  • Jefferson County has 229 cases out of 2,262 tests. Positivity rate: 10%
  • Wakulla County has 572 cases out of 7,159 tests. Positivity rate: 8%
  • Taylor County has 330 cases out of 2,925 tests. Positivity rate: 11%

Deaths in Big Bend counties

  • Leon: 14
  • Gadsden: 18
  • Calhoun: 7
  • Jefferson: 5
  • Franklin: 1
  • Madison: 7
  • Jackson: 31
  • Liberty: 2
  • Wakulla: 3
  • Taylor: 3

COVID-19 in local prisons, jails

  • Leon County Detention Center has reported 68 inmates and two staff members are positive for COVID-19. 
  • Apalachee Correctional Institution has 152 inmates and 23 staff members who tested positive for COVID-19. This is one more staffer than previously reported.
  • Franklin Correctional Institution has had seven inmates and five staff members test positive. This is one more staff member than on Thursday.
  • Gadsden Correctional Facility has 92 inmates and 26 staffers who tested positive.
  • Gadsden Re-entry Center has one inmate and seven staffers who tested positive. The inmate the first inmate to test positive at this facility.
  • Jackson Correctional Institution has not had any inmates test positive but has 20 staff members who have.
  • Jefferson Correctional Institution has 74 inmates and 38 staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19. This is 36 more inmates and three more staffers than were reported Thursday.
  • Liberty Correctional Institution has 215 inmates and 20 staff members who are positive for COVID-19.
  • Wakulla Correctional Institution now has 216 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 and 73 staffers who also have tested positive. 

Casey Chapter is the news editor of the FSView & Florida Flambeau. Reach her at CChapter@Tallahassee.com or follow her on Twitter @CaseyChapter.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat.