COVID cases now total 1,110 in Taylor County

Posted on August 19, 2020

Taylor Correctional Institute (TCI) was nearing 700 positive coronavirus cases Tuesday, as the county’s total number of cases climbed to 1,110.

TCI has reported a total of 663 inmates have tested positive in less than three weeks’ time, as well as positive test results for 18 staff members.

Taylor was reporting an average of six new cases per week throughout the months of May and June. Reported cases increased to as many as 31 new cases in July, before the county experienced a surge of positive coronavirus cases the first week of August, with a total of 536 local cases flooding the Department of Health (DOH) COVID-19 dashboard from Aug. 3 to Aug. 7.

Taylor County officially surpassed 1,000 reported coronavirus cases last week, four months after the county recorded its first positive local COVID-19 case here on April 2.

According to the local DOH-Taylor, the recent significant increase is the result of a coronavirus outbreak at TCI, with more than 61% (679) of the county’s cases being corrections-related (of which 59% are inmates).

Since the surge has slowed, Taylor County has reported anywhere between four and 43 new cases each day — with an average of around 16 new cases per day.

Of the county’s 1,110 cases, 29 (3%) have been hospitalized and five people (0.45%) who previously tested positive have died.

Taylor County’s positive results has surpassed each of its direct neighbors – Dixie, Lafayette, Jefferson and Madison counties.

Dixie County has reported 609 positive cases, 35 hospitalizations and four deaths.

Lafayette County has reported 1,030 positive cases, 11 hospitalizations and four deaths.

Jefferson County has reported 474 positive cases, 27 hospitalizations and five deaths. Madison County has reported 772 positive cases, 35 hospitalizations and 12 deaths.

Subscribe to our e-Edition and read the rest of the story. Already a subscriber? Click here to sign in.