2 more COVID cases

Posted on May 20, 2020

An employee of Deal’s Famous Oyster House in Perry has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), prompting the local eatery to close its doors for two weeks.

According to an online statement made by the local seafood restaurant, the employee, the employee has not been in contact with any customers for the past week.

“Although the health department said we do not have to close, for the safety of our workers and customers, we will be closed and in quarantine for 14 days,” the popular Taylor County eatery announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page Sunday evening.

Before returning to work the first week of June, all Deal’s employees will be required to be tested and cleared of COVID-19, the post stated.

“During this time, we will be getting the restaurant deep-cleaned and doing some much-needed repairs,” Deal’s announced on social media.

Calls, emails and messages for more information were not returned as of press time Tuesday.

The announcement came less than one day before the Florida Department of Health (DOH) confirmed Taylor County’s fourth and fifth positive coronavirus cases on Monday, May 18 at the 11 a.m. update.

According to the local DOH, a 67-year-old female and a 20-year-old male were the latest Taylor County residents to test positive.

According to figures released by the DOH at 11 a.m. Tuesday, 408 people in Taylor County had been tested for coronavirus (COVID-19).

Of the completed tests, 402 have been returned negative for coronavirus, while five tests have been returned positive. There is currently one pending test.

All four of Taylor County’s direct neighbors — Jefferson, Madison, Dixie and Lafayette — have also had at least five confirmed cases.

Madison has the highest infection rate of Taylor County’s direct neighbors with 64 positive cases. Of the 64 positive cases, Madison has reported three deaths and four hospitalizations. Test results have been returned on 683 people, with one test pending and one test returned “inconclusive.”

To date, Jefferson has tested 413 people, with 28 positive tests. Jefferson has reported two subsequent deaths and seven hospitalizations.

In Dixie, 444 people had been tested, yielding 26 positive test results. One death and four hospitalizations have occurred as a result.

With 160 tests completed and zero pending tests, Lafayette has confirmed six positive coronavirus cases.

State-wide, Florida has surpassed 46,944 cases as of Tuesday’s 11 a.m. update. Of those 46,944, more than 8,494 have been hospitalized and 2,052 have died as a result of COVID-19.

The number of new cases reported in Florida each day appears to have leveled off with around 700-800 new cases reported each day.

Over the past two weeks, the number has ranged from a low of 345 on May 7 to a high of 1,147 on May 16.

Of the seven most recent days with complete data, new positive tests have numbered: 795 (May 13), 792 (May 14), 485 (May 15), 1,147 (May 16), 661 (May 17) and 627 (May 18).

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