New Coronavirus Cases Reported In Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — More cases of the new coronavirus were reported between Sunday and Tuesday in Florida as four people have now tested positive for the illness in Broward County, three of whom were linked to a company that provides services at Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades.

"I think it's important for all of us to recognize that while the risk overall remains low, everyone needs to do their part to prevent the spread," urged U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, whose district includes parts of Broward County and parts of Palm Beach County.

Another case of the new coronavirus was reported Monday night in Volusia County. This case involved a 60-year-old woman with a history of known travel outside the United States.

The third case from Broward was reported Sunday and the fourth was reported early Tuesday morning. Don’t miss updates about precautions in Florida as they are announced. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

"A 69-year old female in Broward County has tested positive for COVID-19," health officials said early Tuesday. "The individual is isolated and will remain isolated until cleared by public health officials." See Florida Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Coronavirus

Health officials confirmed that three of the Broward County cases were linked to Metro Cruise Services, which provides cruise terminal management, stevedoring, ship’s agency, terminal security services, shore excursions and ground guest services at ports across the United States, including Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades.

"The Florida Department of Health recommends all individuals experiencing symptoms who have recently traveled through Port Everglades to immediately contact their county health department or health care provider and self-isolate for 14 days," Florida health officials cautioned early Tuesday in response to the Broward cases.

Health officials recommended that employees of Metro Cruise Services at Port Everglades with any association to the three people who tested positive self-isolate at home.

A total of 19 Florida residents and one person from California are among Florida's confirmed cases posted on the state Department of Health COVID-19 website. See the county-by-county breakdown at the bottom of this article.

Broward County is located along the east coast of Florida and includes the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Coral Springs, Davie and Deerfield Beach among the county's largest cities.

Four of Florida's cases do not involve people with a known history of international travel, according to information released Monday by the Florida Department of Health.

Of the 14 Florida residents diagnosed with new coronavirus in the state, eight were women and six were men. The youngest was the 29-year-old Hillsborough County woman who recently traveled to Italy with her sister from California.

The oldest is an 81-year-old Manatee County woman who also traveled outside the country. The remaining Florida patients ranged in age from 54 to 77.

Florida's first two deaths from the new coronavirus were reported Friday involving elderly patients in Santa Rosa County and Lee County, both of whom suffered from serious underlying conditions.

Five of Florida's confirmed cases involve people who had traveled to China and were placed in quarantine by federal officials.

A New York attorney who tested positive for the new coronavirus also traveled to Miami in early February — days or weeks before he became ill. He is not counted in the total because he is a resident of New York. See New York Coronavirus Patient Had Traveled To Miami In February and Coronavirus Outbreak: Tips To Prepare At Home

As of Monday morning, there had been a total of 111,363 confirmed cases of the illness and 3,892 deaths around the world, with the vast majority in Hubei, China, according to information compiled by Johns Hopkins University. A total of 62,375 people have recovered from the illness.

COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when someone coughs or sneezes. These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract the virus by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure. Most people recover from COVID-19 without special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems such as high blood pressure, heart problems, obesity and diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness, the health department said.

Public Health Guidance On Virus Prevention:

• Do not go to an emergency room unless absolutely essential. Those with symptoms including a cough, fever, or other respiratory issues are advised to contact their regular doctor first.
• If you are sick, stay home.
• Commit to excellent personal hygiene, including regular hand-washing, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

Monitor the latest information on COVID-19 in Florida and across the United States:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Florida Department of Health

What is the new coronavirus?

The symptoms of the new coronavirus are similar to seasonal influenza, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Both are infectious respiratory illnesses, but they're caused by different viruses.

Both cause fever, cough, body aches and fatigue, and both can result in pneumonia. Both illnesses can sometimes cause vomiting and diarrhea and can be spread from person to person by sneezing, coughing or talking.

Common good-health practices such as frequent hand-washing, covering coughs and staying home from work or school if sick, can help control both illnesses.

Neither respond to antibiotic treatment, but both may be treated by addressing symptoms, such as reducing fever.

There are some distinct differences between COVID-19 and the Flu: Flu is caused by several types of viruses, while COVID-19 is caused by the new coronavirus, which is also called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2.

Johns Hopkins said there is some evidence COVID-19 could be airborne "meaning that tiny droplets remaining in the air could cause disease in others even after the ill person is no longer near."

There is no vaccine to protect against the new coronavirus as there is against influenza. Scientists around the world are racing to find a vaccine for the new coronavirus, although none currently exists.

A company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has shipped vials of its novel coronavirus vaccine to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease for further research.

Here is the county-by-county breakdown of the new coronavirus cases involving Florida residents and people visiting Florida:

The Associated Press contributed to this report as did Patch Editor Deb Belt and Megan VerHelst, Patch Staff.