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Solaris HealthCare
The number of coronavirus cases rose to 103 Tuesday and the Department of Health in Putnam County said 14 of the 16 new cases were from long-term care facilities.
Solaris HealthCare Palatka officials released a statement Tuesday acknowledging cases of coronavirus in residents and employees of the facility.
“The well-being of our residents and staff is our highest priority and we are working very closely with the team at the Department of Health to ensure that those who have been identified receive care and support as needed,” Solaris officials said.
Residents who contracted COVID-19 are being cared for in a section of Solaris dedicated to treating people with the virus, officials said.
“All staff members who tested positive will be quarantined as directed by the Putnam County Florida Department of Health and will be provided instruction on how to proceed with preventing any further spread,” Solaris officials said.
According to the department in Putnam County, the most recent cases Tuesday were:
– A 73-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 23-year-old Palatka woman.
– An 84-year-old Palatka man.
– A 51-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 53-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 38-year-old Palatka man.
– A 29-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 57-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 36-year-old Satsuma woman.
– An 88-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 72-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 33-year-old Palatka man.
– A 98-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 51-year-old Palatka woman.
– An 89-year-old Palatka woman.
– A 26-year-old Palatka woman.
As cases in Putnam rise, the number of tests in the county increase, too.
According to floridadisaster.org, the number of people tested by Tuesday morning was 1,464 with 1,358 cases negative and three pending.
Mary Garcia, administrator for the Department of Health in Putnam County, said the rise in cases are expected as testing increases.
“We anticipate the numbers to increase over the coming days due to proactive testing in our long-term care facilities as part of the governor’s initiative,” Garcia said.
In the span of a day, testing increased 1,300 Monday to 1,464 Tuesday.
“Fourteen of (Tuesday’s) 16 cases are related to preemptive testing in (long-term care facilities),” Garcia said. “These cases were asymptomatic but tested as part of the efforts to ensure safety at our LTFs. Our case data continues to indicate cluster investigations as a result of contact tracing.”
Contact tracing means figuring out how someone who was diagnosed with coronavirus was infected by retracing the person’s last moves and places they may have visited, Garcia said Thursday.
The health department will not release the number of people who may have recovered from the virus because the reinfection rate is unknown at this time.
As of Tuesday, 13 Putnam residents have been hospitalized. The Department of Health does not report where patients are hospitalized.
Most cases are in Palatka with 65, followed by Interlachen with 14, East Palatka with 12, Crescent City with four, Satsuma with four, Welaka with two, Hollister with one and Hawthorne with one, according to the health department.
“Be a hero by reaching out electronically to someone to cheer them up,” Garcia said in an email. “Many elderly and compromised individuals, as well as others who are staying home and self-isolating to protect themselves can get lonely and a call, text or video may just be the thing they need to be cheered up. … An act of kindness goes a long way.”