ORLANDO, Fla. — The first stop for Orange County’s testing site was made Monday. However, the county had more tests than people to test.
The site tested 140 people but had the site had “the capacity to do another 200,” said Dr. Raul Pino with the Orange County Health Department.
“We have a large segment of the county that’s undocumented and I wonder if that segment is not coming to us,” Pino said.
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7 new local coronavirus-related deaths
7:10 p.m. update
The Florida Department of Health reported 34 coronavirus-related deaths and 398 new cases statewide since Monday morning.
The total number of deaths reported Monday was 49, including seven in Central Florida.
Officials said the total number of cases in Florida has reached 27,058. They said the death toll now stands at 823.
WATCH: Tornadoes, severe storms leave damage across Central Florida
Of the cases, 26,329 involve Florida residents and 729 involve nonresidents.
Officials said 4,000 people have been hospitalized in the state so far.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
Orange County reported four new deaths Monday evening, bringing the total numbers of deaths to 27.
Polk County reported two new deaths Monday evening, bringing the total numbers of deaths to 14.
Lake County reported one new deaths since Monday evening, bringing the total numbers of deaths to seven.
Read: Coronavirus: Rep. Ilhan Omar proposes cancellation of rent, mortgage payments through pandemic
Click here to see a map of positive cases in Florida, and see a county-by-county breakdown of Central Florida cases below.
• Orange: 1,216 (1,204 earlier Monday)
• Osceola: 410 (no change since Monday morning)
• Volusia: 342 (338 earlier Monday)
• Polk: 335 (330 earlier Monday)
• Seminole: 325 (323 earlier Monday)
• Brevard: 218 (216 earlier Monday)
• Lake: 211 (210 earlier Monday)
• Sumter: 153 (147 earlier Monday)
• Marion: 129 (125 earlier Monday)
• Flagler: 76 (75 earlier Monday)
President Donald Trump gave an update on the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the news conference below:
Orange County officials also gave an update on the coronavirus. Watch the news conference below:
Download the WFTV news app and watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live updates on this developing story, or click here to have updates sent straight to your inbox.
Seminole County to open popup testing sites
3:55 p.m. update
Starting Tuesday, Seminole County will offer drive-thru or walk-up testing.
Those interested in being tested must bring a government-issued identification.
Patients do not have to be symptomatic.
The testing is free of charge, but patients with health insurance should bring their insurance card.
Appointments are not necessary.
The testing will be conducted from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on the following dates at the following locations:
• Tuesday, April 21 - East Altamonte
Apostolic Church of Jesus
444 Ford Drive Altamonte Springs
• Wednesday, April 22 - Midway
Midway Community Center
2251 Jitway Avenue Sanford
• Thursday, April 23 - Goldsboro
Westside Community Center
919 South Persimmon Avenue Sanford
• Friday, April 24 - Lincoln Heights
Journeys Academy
1722 West Airport Boulevard Sanford
• Monday, April 27 - Bookertown
Bookertown Community Center
4631 Gilbert Street Sanford
• Tuesday, April 28 - Georgetown
Historic Sanford Stadium
1201 Mellonville Avenue Sanford
• Wednesday, April 29 - Jamestown
Location to be announced
Antibody testing is not available at the sites. Click here for more information.
Download the WFTV news app and watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 4 for live updates on this developing story, or click here to have updates sent straight to your inbox.
Seminole County COVID-19 update
1:05 p.m. update
Seminole County officials are providing a live update on COVID-19 in the county. Click here to watch it live.
346 new Florida coronavirus cases, 15 deaths reported overnight
Noon update
The Florida Department of Health announced Monday morning that there are 26,660 cases of the coronavirus in the state. That is 346 more than the night before.
With that there were also 15 more deaths reported since Sunday night bringing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 789. None of those 15 deaths were in Central Florida.
See the latest case numbers county by county below:
NEW CASES:
Orange: 1,204 (1,198 Sunday night)
Osceola: 410 (409 Sunday night)
Volusia: 338 (333 Sunday night)
Polk: 330 (326 Sunday night)
Seminole: 323 (320 Sunday night)
Brevard: 216 (215 Sunday night)
Lake: 210 (207 Sunday night)
Marion: 125 (121 Sunday night)
NO CHANGE:
Sumter: 147
What is convalescent plasma treatment and how can you donate? Orlando Health explains
8:25 a.m. update
Orlando Health is working to educate patients and community members about ways they may be able to help make COVID-19 convalescent plasma a treatment option for others.
Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma as an emergency investigational treatment for critically ill patients with coronavirus.
Orlando Health officials said convalescent plasma is collected through blood donation from patients who have recovered from an infection such as COVID-19. Antibodies within this plasma can boost an infected patient’s immune system and potentially help them recover more quickly.
READ: These local long-term facilities have had someone test positive for COVID-19
To help in the donation effort, officials said Orlando Health patients are provided COVID-19 convalescent plasma treatment education materials, eligibility criteria, and instructions during the discharge process.
Eligible donors must meet the following criteria:
- Eligible to donate blood
- Prior diagnosis of COVID-19 documented by an FDA-approved laboratory test
- Complete resolution of symptoms for at least 14 days prior to donation of convalescent plasma AND a documented negative FDA-approved COVID-19 test OR
- Complete resolution of symptoms for at least 28 days prior to donation
The plasma can be collected either from whole-blood or plasma-only donors. For additional information, contact OneBlood at 1-888-9Donate (1-888-936-6283) and select option 9, or click here.
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Reminder for testing at Orange County Convention Center
8:05 a.m. update
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is reminding local residents that in order to be tested for COVID-19 at the Orange County Convention Center, you must meet certain criteria.
That includes:
- Having respiratory symptoms or preexisting conditions, regardless of age.
- All first responders and health care workers.
- Anyone who had close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus.
REMINDER: The temporary drive-through testing site at the Orange County Convention Centers has adjusted the criteria for #COVID19 testing. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but it's a good idea to arrive early.
— Orange County Sheriff's Office (@OrangeCoSheriff) April 20, 2020
See below for criteria before you go. pic.twitter.com/dGHY6LXw64
How Central Florida’s economy could reopen
6:30 a.m. update
As another weekend passed with empty businesses due to COVID-19, officials and experts are assessing what it will take to bring the Central Florida economy back to life.
Florida could soon be slinking back to normal in small steps, just as some Florida beaches have already reopened.
In Flagler County, there’s a push to open more.
“Flagler’s known for and one of it’s greatest assets is the beaches… and tourism is very important factor for us,” said Flagler County Commissioner Joe Mullins.
But packing places like Disney World could be a long way off.
“It’s going to take some time. We’re not going to open up our tourism sector in Florida and instantly go to 100-million visitors per year,” said Dr. Sean Snaith, the director of the UCF Institute for Economic Forecasting.
Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to discuss the issue more during a task force meeting Monday at 2 p.m.
Mobile COVID-19 testing to begin in Orange County Monday morning
5:10 a.m. update
Orange County leaders are expanding coronavirus testing even more on Monday, as the health department rolls out its first mobile testing site so people who don’t have access to a car can still get tested.
The first mobile testing site will open at Blanchard Park on Dean Road near Colonial Drive at 8:30 a.m.
The mobile testing site will move to a different location in the county each day this week to try to help bring testing to those who may not be able to travel outside their community for testing.
READ: Coronavirus: Where COVID-19 testing is available in Central Florida
The mobile testing sites in Orange County will provide COVID-19 tests at no cost, but to be tested you must have an appointment. To schedule an appointment, call 407-723-5004, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 pm.
See the full schedule of mobile testing site locations in Orange County this week below:
- Tuesday: South Econ Park
- Wednesday: Camping World Stadium
- Thursday: Barnett Park
- Friday: West Orange Park
Testing sites are also expanding in other areas of Central Florida this week, with other additional testing locations in Volusia, Brevard and Seminole counties.
Beginning Tuesday, Seminole County will also have new mobile sites that move every day. The location has not been announced.
Click here or watch the video below to learn about the new locations:
Download the WFTV news app and watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live updates on this developing story, or click here to have updates sent straight to your inbox.
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