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The number of COVID-19 cases shot above 80 by Friday evening.
The number of coronavirus cases in Putnam County climbed to 81 by Friday evening and Palatka Mayor Terrill Hill said now is the time to be conscious about making sure Putnam County is at the forefront of flattening the virus curve.
“We have to make sure consciously that in this community, we do everything necessary to protect our citizens,” Hill said. “Luckily, it’s starting to change a little bit, but every day, we’ve got to remind folks that you are not exempt.”
The largest number of cases are from Palatka, where the Florida Department of Health reported 46 coronavirus cases, followed by Interlachen with 13, East Palatka with 12, Crescent City with four, Satsuma with three, Hawthorne with one, Hollister with one and Welaka with one.
Hill said he has been discussing the possibility of implementing an ordinance to promote wearing face masks while in public. It is a subject being touched on every week, he said.
“We can ill-afford to have our citizens put in danger because we’ve not put certain mechanisms in place,” Hill said.
He said he wants to make sure everyone realizes they are not exempt from catching COVID-19.
“Most of our young people have a mindset that this is something that only affects old people in catastrophic ways,” Hill said.
The most recent cases were a 67-year-old Crescent City woman, a 42-year-old Interlachen man and a 40-year-old Palatka man.
The number of people tested in Putnam County rose to 1,149, with 1,068 tests returning negative, according to the floridadisaster.org.
Case numbers in the county increased by 32 people within a week. Hill said an increase in testing could be part of the reason, but he doesn’t think people are taking coronavirus seriously enough and need to practice social distancing.
“There’s a level of frustration that comes along with everyone having to be sheltered in place, but at the same time, we all have to understand that what we’re doing is protecting ourselves and our friends,” Hill said. “We’re being inconvenienced for the possibility of saving a life.”
No curfew has been put into place, nor has there been a citywide mandate to wear face masks while in public places.
By Friday evening, the total number of Florida cases reached 30,533, with 1,046 deaths statewide. Putnam County has reported only one COVID-19 death since the virus outbreak began.
“The reality of all of it is that we still don’t even know the answers to how long the virus lasts (or) how it goes away,” Hill said. “Right now, I encourage every citizen, if you’re out in public or around other people, wear a mask.”