TAMPA — The spread of coronavirus in Hillsborough County is still widespread and high, but trending downward, the county’s top health official said Monday.
“We are headed in the right direction,” said Dr Douglas Holt, director of the state Health Department in Hillsborough County.
Holt’s comments Monday afternoon to the Hillsborough Emergency Policy Group came after data through Sunday showed a 14-day average of new cases at 566, a 15 percent decrease from the previous two weeks’ average.
Meanwhile, the two-week average for positive test results continued its downward trend and dipped to 13.22 percent.
“That is trending in the right direction,” said, Kevin Wagner, principal business analyst for the county’s Health Care Service Department.
That positive test result average was as low as 3 percent in May, but reached nearly 20 percent in late June and remained at that level before starting to decline two weeks ago.
Holt noted the county is nearing its initial goal of a positive test rate of 10 percent, with an ultimate aim to drop the rate to 5 percent or lower.
“It looks as though our mask order is making a significant difference and I am glad to see that,” said Commissioner Kimberly Overman, who credited the decline to “the good things our citizens are doing to protect themselves and others.‘'
Earlier Monday, the state Department of Health’s latest figures showed 406 new cases in Hillsborough County, pushing the county’s total to 27,483. Three people died, bringing the number of deaths to 302. Eleven additional patients were hospitalized, bringing total hospitalizations in Hillsborough to 1,170 since the state reported its first case March. 1.
As expected, the Emergency Policy Group also voted 5-3 to extend the mask-wearing rule it first adopted June 22. The order is effective for seven more days. Dissenting were School Board Chairwoman Melissa Snively, plus representatives of the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office and Plant City.
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Health official: Hillsborough headed in right direction on coronavirus spread - Tampa Bay Times
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