2 cases of more contagious COVID-19 UK variant found in Leon County
MGN Online
and last updated 2021-02-03 10:23:47-05
LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) â Two cases of the U.K. COVID-19 variant have been identified in Leon County.
On Wednesday, the Florida Department of Health in Leon County (DOH Leon) announced the detection of two cases associated with the COVID-19 variant that first emerged in the United Kingdom.
DOH-Leon said that they are considering these individuals priority cases.
Now, epidemiologists are working to identify close contacts of the individuals and said they will continue to monitor the individuals closely.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is no conclusive evidence the variant makes people sicker than the original strain, but they are concerned because it spreads more quickly, is significantly more contagious, and vaccines may be less effective against it.
Florida is concentrating its efforts on vaccinating healthcare workers and seniors over 65. But little over a month into the largest vaccination effort ever, there’s growing impatience over which groups will be able to get vaccines next.
Three more Leon County residents have died because of COVID-19 and 223 more residents have tested positive for the virus, the Florida Department of Health reported on Thursday.
Leon County now has had 224 residents die of the 25,180 residents who have tested positive for the virus since March.
Moreover, two more Jackson County residents and one more Taylor County resident also have died because of the virus, the state health department confirmed.
Jackson County has seen 133 residents die of the 5,535 who have tested positive, according to state data.
Taylor County has had 34 residents die because of the virus of the 2,446 who have tested positive, according to the state.
More than 5,800 people are still waiting on a COVID-19 vaccine from the Leon County Department of Health. We are not able to provide an approximate wait time for call backs and continue to ask our senior community for patience as we continue to manage a high volume of request forms, Pam Saulsby, Leon County health department spokeswoman, wrote in an email to the Tallahassee Democrat.
The local health department did not specify how many doses of the vaccine it currently has and noted that the vaccine doses it does receive are shared with local healthcare providers.
Saulsby added that if seniors miss a call from the health department or Leon County volunteers, their names remain on the department s master list. Volunteers will continue to call, but will not leave voicemails, she said.
Leon County hospitals, elected leaders host weekly panel addressing COVID-19
On Friday, top leaders in Leon County from local government to the medical field gathered via Zoom to provide the community with a look at where things stand now with the coronavirus.
and last updated 2021-01-22 18:46:23-05
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) â On Friday, top leaders in Leon County from local government to the medical field gathered via Zoom to provide the community with a look at where things stand now with the coronavirus.
Local hospitals say they are treating fewer people for COVID-19, but Capital Regional Medical Center s CEO Dr. Trey Blake says it s too early to celebrate.