NEWS

Coronavirus: 6 Big Bend deaths over the weekend; local prison cases on the rise

Casey Chapter
Tallahassee Democrat

As Leon county surpasses 55,000 locally-administered COVID-19 tests, at least six Big Bend residents died because of the coronavirus over the weekend, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Leon County gained 105 confirmed cases of COVID-19 Sunday, bringing its total to 4,387 positive tests. Among the new cases are two 4-year-old girls, a 6-year-old boy, an 8-year-old boy and five teenagers between ages 13 and 19. The youngest of Leon's new cases is a boy listed as "zero" years old. The oldest is a 91-year-old woman.

In Gadsden County, a 77-year-old man and a 61-year-old man have died because of COVID-19, the state health department reports. So far, Gadsden County has had 20 fatalities associated with the virus.

The free COVID-19 testing site at Bragg Memorial Stadium on the FAMU campus Tuesday, May 12, 2020, has a steady stream of patients, but plenty of space to keep them all socially distant.

An 80-year-old Franklin County woman also has died because of COVID-19. She is the second coronavirus-related fatality in Franklin County, according to the health department.

In Jackson County, a 92-year-old woman and an 87-year-old man have died because of the novel virus. The health department verified the 87-year-old man's death on Saturday and confirmed the 92-year-old woman's death on Sunday.

Back story:

A 60-year-old woman in Wakulla County also has died because of the virus. She is the fourth Wakulla resident to die because of COVID-19, according to the state health department. The department confirmed her death Saturday.

The health department does not provide further details about the individuals, except that they were all Florida residents.

Prison cases swell

Jefferson Correctional Institution in Monticello had 99 more inmates test positive for COVID-19, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. 

The facility now has 174 inmates and 38 staff members who have tested positive. On Sunday, 225 inmate tests were pending, according to the state corrections department.

Franklin Correctional Institution in Carrabelle has had 17 more inmates test positive for COVID-19, the state corrections department reports. The Franklin facility has 888 pending inmate tests, according to the department.

Gadsden Re-Entry Center in Havana had 15 more inmates test positive for COVID-19, according to the corrections department. In total, the facility has had 16 inmates and seven staff members test positive so far. The facility has 333 pending inmate tests, the corrections department reports.

Coronavirus cases by county

  • Leon County has 4,387 cases out of 55,275 tests. Positivity rate: 8%
  • Gadsden County has 1,552 cases out of 11,801 tests. Positivity rate: 13%
  • Franklin County has 130 cases out of 2,628 tests. Positivity rate: 5%
  • Jackson County has 1,613 cases out of 10,243 tests. Positivity rate: 16%
  • Calhoun County has 319 cases out of 2,290 tests. Positivity rate: 14%
  • Liberty County has 409 cases out of 3,058 tests. Positivity rate: 13%
  • Madison County has 643 cases out of 4,893 tests. Positivity rate: 13%
  • Jefferson County has 344 cases out of 2,570 tests. Positivity rate: 13%
  • Wakulla County has 611 cases out of 7,380 tests. Positivity rate: 8%
  • Taylor County has 372 cases out of 3,126 tests. Positivity rate: 12%

Deaths in Big Bend counties

  • Leon: 14
  • Gadsden: 20
  • Calhoun: 7
  • Jefferson: 5
  • Franklin: 2
  • Madison: 7
  • Jackson: 33
  • Liberty: 2
  • Wakulla: 4
  • 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.
  • Franklin Correctional Institution has had 24 inmates and five staff members test positive. This is 17 more inmates than previously reported.
  • Gadsden Correctional Facility has 92 inmates and 26 staffers who tested positive.
  • Gadsden Re-entry Center has 16 inmates and seven staffers who tested positive. This is 15 more inmates than previously reported.
  • Jackson Correctional Institution has not had any inmates test positive but has 21 staff members who have. This is one more staffer than previously reported.
  • Jefferson Correctional Institution has 173 inmates and 38 staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19. This is 99 more inmates than were reported Friday.
  • Liberty Correctional Institution has 215 inmates and 20 staff members who are positive for COVID-19.
  • Wakulla Correctional Institution now has 218 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 and 70 staffers who also have tested positive. This is two more inmates than previously reported.

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

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