Up To 165,000 In Miami-Dade May Carry Coronavirus: Study

MIAMI, FL — As many as 165,000 Miami-Dade residents may be carrying the Coronavirus in Florida's most populous county which is far greater than the number who have actually tested positive for the illness, according to a new study.

Half of the 1,400 people randomly selected to participate in the two-week study by researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine were determined to have antibodies to the new coronavirus, but had not experienced any symptoms of the virus in the previous seven to 14 days, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said in announcing the findings during a Friday news conference.

"In both weeks, 6 percent of participants tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies which equates to an average of about 165,000 Miami-Dade county residents," Gimenez told reporters.

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The county of 2.8 million reported 10,926 confirmed cases of the virus as of Friday night and 287 deaths. It is considered to be the epicenter of Florida's outbreak along with nearby Broward and Palm Beach Counties. The three counties account for some 60 percent of all cases in Florida.

"What we’re finding out is something we’ve frankly known all along," the mayor said. "There are a lot of asymptomatic cases out there where people carrying the virus, but are not experiencing any symptoms.

Gimenez said the data will be used to make decisions about reopening public spaces and allowing people to return to the new normal.

"That’s why it is so important for everyone to act as if they had the virus and practice social distancing and wear face coverings where required," he said.

The mayor said the total number of infections in the county is potentially 16.5 times greater than the total number of people who tested positive at public testing sites and at local hospitals.

"The numbers shouldn’t be what really drives you. It’s really what the hospitalization rate is," Gimenez insisted.

The study also found African-American people were twice as likely to be infected with the virus than other races.

"We are working with pastors and elected leaders to make sure we get the word out, and more medical testing in those areas that may be showing up as hot spots," Gimenez said.

Finding asymptomatic people is “critically important for public health," according to the mayor.

"They are the folks that can pass on the virus to those who are most vulnerable to getting severely sick and ending up in the hospital," Gimenez said.

The mayor said the county plans to hire more than 400 people to assist with social distancing in parks, marinas and golf courses, which will be among the first public spaces to reopen.

"We want to make sure that all of the security issues, and all of the enforcement issues are in place prior to opening the parks," the mayor said. "We are working towards opening them as soon as possible as long as we have already everything prepared."