Covid-19: Suwannee reaches 54 cases; Columbia at 17

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  • Staff members at Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation in Live Oak greet members of Orchard Community Church who gathered at the facility Wednesday night for an in-car prayer vigil. Suwannee Health is the epicenter of the covid-19 outbreak in Suwannee County, accounting for at least 28 of 54 cases there. (TRAVIS LEE/Special to the Reporter)
    Staff members at Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation in Live Oak greet members of Orchard Community Church who gathered at the facility Wednesday night for an in-car prayer vigil. Suwannee Health is the epicenter of the covid-19 outbreak in Suwannee County, accounting for at least 28 of 54 cases there. (TRAVIS LEE/Special to the Reporter)
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The outbreak in Suwannee County showed no signs of slowing down Thursday, when health officials announced eight new cases of covid-19, bringing the total up to 54.

All eight of the cases announced Monday are connected to an existing case, according to the Florida Department of Health in Suwannee County, but it’s not clear whether the link traces back to a cluster of cases at Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation Center, the focal point of the outbreak there. 

The new cases from Thursday involve four women and four men, ages 55 to 89. 

Suwannee Health and Rehabilitation Center is the epicenter of the outbreak there. 

Seven of the 54 Suwannee County cases to date resulted in hospitalization, according to the state’s official covid-19 dashboard. 

Columbia County was up to 17 cases as of Thursday afternoon, with two resulting in hospitalization. 

Alachua County is becoming a hotspot for covid-19, with 150 confirmed cases and 20 instances of hospitalization. Nine of those cases are listed as involving out-of-state residents, though that number may or may not be especially meaningful after considering the college town’s student population. 

The very young and the very old, especially those with underlying health conditions, are the people most vulnerable to viral outbreaks in general. Health officials initially believed the novel strain of coronavirus was unique in that it appeared to be unusually merciful toward children. 

But as the pandemic continues, more and more cases involving children are coming to light. 

In Columbia County, a 1-year-old is the youngest person confirmed to have the virus.

In Suwannee County, a 5-year-old tested positive, while one of the cases reported in Alachua County involves a 2-year-old.