Orange County is flattening the curve for the second time in its five-month bout with COVID-19, with sharp declines reported Monday in key infection rates and fewer people hospitalized with the disease.
The number of people with the coronavirus has been cut by more than half since the end of June with 160 infections per 100,000 people today compared with 360 infections five weeks ago.
And the rate of tests that come back positive is also significantly down — from 16.87% positive during the week of June 21 to 8.29% for the most recent week.
Eighty-five people are in county ICU beds, down from 89 Thursday, and 357 others are hospitalized with the virus, said Dr. Raul Pino, the state health department’s officer in Orange County.
“We’re in a very good position,” Pino said. “We should try not to do something that should jeopardize that.”
The last time Pino said Orange County was in “good shape” was the third week of May just before social gatherings during Memorial Day triggered a second surge of cases.
This time, his comments come as schools across the state are preparing to open for the first time since March.
Pino attributed the recent improvement, at least in part, to the mask requirement that began in Orange on June 20. But the region must do more work, he said, to bring the rate of positive tests from more than 8% to below 5% — a level considered manageable for the hospital systems as well as public health officials who must try to get ahead of outbreaks by picking up on trends and clusters.
Less transmission of the virus in the community will also allow health officials to add additional focus to Assisted Living Facilities, where several outbreaks are still underway. Pino identified more cases at four facilities.
Rio Pinar Health Care: 6 new positive staff members and 17 new positive residents
Orlando Health and Rehabilitation Center: 32 positive staff members and 11 new positive residents
Colonial Lakes Health & Rehabilitation Center: 8 new positive staff members and 3 new positive residents
Conway Lakes Rehabilitation Center: 5 new positive staff members and 7 new positive residents
“That’s our next battle, as I see it,” Pino said.
He also said that his staff has not linked any outbreaks to Orlando’s theme parks. Disney, Universal and SeaWorld reopened under limited capacity.
“We’re in constant communication with the parks,” he said. “You’re safe to assume transmission is happening everywhere in the county. But we haven’t been able to establish an outbreak in any of the parks.”
The state on Monday reported 20 additional deaths in Orange County since last week, bringing the death toll Monday to 239.
The COVID-19 testing site at the Orange County Convention Center will reopen Tuesday after a three-day break to allow Hurricane Isaias to pass.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings expressed relief that the county was spared from the storm and said there was “no damage whatsoever” from Isaias, which stayed offshore and brought only a smattering of rain squalls to the region Sunday. Still, the county distributed 61,000 sand bags and 300,000 face masks to residents in the past 16 days.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday the state-run test sites at Marlins Park in Miami and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens will offer the quick-result tests for people 65 and older and for people who have a fever or other coronavirus symptoms.
Those are the only sites which will have the 15-minute tests, said Jason Mahon, state Emergency Management spokesman. He did not know if the rapid tests would become available at the convention center site.
The mayor also said his administration is preparing an eviction diversion program to present to the Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 11, but offered few details. He said the county would use federal CARES Act money to help residents avoid losing their homes.
“The goal is to create the opportunity for residents who may not be able to pay current or past rent payments to have the ability to pay all or a portion of that,” Demings said.
shudak@orlandosentinel.com, rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com
