New COVID cases begin to fall

Posted on August 26, 2020

Not counting the recent outbreak at Taylor Correctional Institute (TCI), the rate of new cases in Taylor County appears to be falling since hitting a peak in July.

Since the first recorded local case of coronavirus (COVID-19) back in April, Taylor County has had a total of 1,164 positive cases reported, according to the latest figures from the Florida Department of Health (DOH).

Of the county’s 1,164 total cases, 698 have been connected to correctional facilities, with the vast majority of those cases linked to a widespread outbreak at TCI reported earlier this month.

In all, 59% of Taylor County’s positive cases are connected to state correctional facilities.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC), there have been 671 inmates test positive at TCI, along with 25 employees. Additionally, 1,469 inmates have tested negative, while 69 tests were still pending.

DOH’s “corrections” figures can also include Taylor County residents who work at other DOC facilities.

An additional 46 (or 4%) of Taylor County’s positive cases are connected to long-term care facilities. This includes residents and staff or personnel.

The rate of new positive cases appears to have been dwindling recently. In the seven-day period between Aug. 17 and Aug. 23, there were a total of 55 new cases reported, compared to 141 in the same one-week time period between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16.

Some 282 total test results (including negatives) were reported between Aug. 17 and Aug. 23, with the positivity rate ranging between a high of 30.65% on Aug. 20 and a low of 6.56% on Aug. 21.

Although the primary figures published by the DOH are cumulative figures showing the total number of cases reported since the outbreak began, the state agency also makes all of its data available to the public, including case-line data on every positive case reported in the state (with identifying information removed).

Taylor County’s first case was reported on April 6. Two other positive cases were also reported that month.

In May, the total number of reported cases was 19, followed by 57 in June.

The number of cases increased again in July, with 279.

Through Monday, the number of cases reported in August was at 800, but these figures included the outbreak at TCI.

Removing the 671 cases among TCI inmates included in the county’s August figures, the month’s cases falls to 129 (through Aug. 23) — less than half of the community cases reported in all of July. Through the first 23 days of July, there were 168 cases.

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