Florida experienced its greatest increase in daily reported COVID-19 infections Thursday. Alachua County followed suit.
The Alachua County Health Department identified an outbreak of COVID-19 in an agricultural community Thursday, according to a county press release. Seventy-six of 98 people tested positive for the virus and 14 test results are still pending.
The 31 case increase is the largest the county has faced throughout the pandemic, said Paul Myers, administrator at the county health department.
Those who tested positive were isolated and their contacts were also quarantined, the release said. Alachua County Emergency Management and Alachua County Community Support Services are investigating and responding to the outbreak.
The agricultural workers were tested Saturday, Myers said. The workers weren’t Alachua County residents and were all adults.
Myers also said the workers are isolated at a facility. He didn’t give any information about the location of the community or where they are being isolated.
Alachua County has 443 reported cases of COVID-19, 82 hospitalizations and nine deaths, according to the county’s COVID-19 dashboard. The percent of positive tests was on decline since late April but is now slightly increasing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Grethel at gaguila@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @GrethelAguila.
