MIAMI (AP) — Another Florida resident has tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing to four the number of people who have tested positive in the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday.
The latest patient is a Santa Rosa County man in his 70s with underlying health issues who had recently traveled internationally, the governor said during a news conference Thursday morning. Santa Rosa County is in Florida’s Panhandle.
DeSantis also said five Florida residents who had been traveling in China have also been quarantined elsewhere after testing positive for the virus. He didn’t say where those five people live or where they are being quarantined.
Florida authorities are announcing both people who have tested positive for the virus in the state as well as Florida residents who have tested positive elsewhere, and who may be part of other state tallies.
Earlier this week, officials in Florida announced that a 29-year-old Tampa woman and her 22-year-old sister, who is a California resident, have tested positive for the virus after they traveled from Italy. A Manatee County man in his 60s who had not traveled internationally but suffers from underlying conditions also tested positive for the virus. Manatee County is near Tampa on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
On Wednesday, officials also said a 64-year-old Florida resident tested positive for the virus in Washington state. Officials did not say where that man lives.
“The risk to Florida remains low,” DeSantis said, when asked about people considering traveling to Florida for spring break or baseball’s spring training. “If you are someone who has a real serious condition already, you should view it differently than someone who is 25 years old and doesn’t have any (health) problems.”
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