Pasco Health Officials Says Latest Coronavirus Numbers Alarming

PASCO COUNTY, FL — Mike Napier, administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County, told the Pasco County Commission this week that the number of positive coronavirus cases in the county "is troubling," rising dramatically since September.

According to the Florida Department of Health coronavirus dashboard, 230 news cases were reported in Pasco County Saturday for a total of 17,628 cares.

"Something a little startling is 9.5 percent of those cases were reported in the last seven days," nearly a 10 percent rise from last week, he said. "The line keeps going up in the number of positive cases, and now we're at a point where I know many are concerned."

He said the county went from eight to 10 positive cases a day in June and July to nearly 300 cases a day.

"In September we were looking at 29 cases a day. That was considered a very low case rate,"

Napier said, noting that the commission was even considering rescinding its mandatory mask ordinance at that time. "However, we've gone in the wrong direction. Now we're averaging 207 cases a day, which is considered a high case rate."

He said, the county's positivity rate for the coronavirus has risen from just under 5 percent to just under 10 percent during the past month. Health experts want that number below 5 percent to contain the spread of the disease.

“Pasco County has the highest positivity rate in the region,” he said, adding that the county is is in danger of maximizing its ability to test people for the virus.

"At this rate, we could double the number of positive cases from 16,000 to 32,000 in the next three months," he said. "That's startling."

As people get together during the holiday season, Napier recommends that the county continue to stress the importance of using facing coverings and social distancing.

Dr. Marissa Levine, a public health professor at the University of South Florida, also spoke to commissioners about the crisis, recommending that coronavirus mandates remain in place at least until Pasco County has a positivity rate of less than 3 percent for four consecutive weeks.

She said hospitals have being overwhelmed by the increasing number of coronavirus patients. Tampa General Hospital reported no available intensive care beds on Tuesday, said Levine.

Since the start of the pandemic, 318 Pasco residents have died from the coronavirus, including 30 more residents since Nov. 1, and 1,369 people have been hospitalized.

A University of South Florida epidemiologist says the use of face masks and social distancing has averted about 1.4 million coronavirus cases in the region since July.

Dr. Edwin Michael, a University of South Florida professor and epidemiologist who studies the spread and control of global infectious diseases, talked about the short- and long-term forecasts for the pandemic in the Tampa Bay region. According to Michael, measures such as face covering mandates and social distancing protocols have prevented the pandemic from becoming much more serious.

Despite hearing testimony during the public comment portion of the meeting from two residents advocating that the county rescind its mask mandate, Levine explained that masks were not perfect but studies continue to show that they are effective at cutting down the amount of virus that people with coronavirus can project into the air, thus cutting infection rates.

“We should be listening to the physicians,” Moore said. “That is what we’re doing here and what we’re continuing to do as a board, listening to the medical experts.”

In the meantime, Pasco and Pinellas counties have decided to shorten the quarantine periods for students exposed to the coronavirus by four days, following the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Napier reported that 640 students and 258 staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 9,474 students and 816 staff members have been exposed.

Pasco County Coronavirus Cases

Courtesy DOH

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