JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County hospitals were reporting a total of 548 hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients, 113 of whom were in intensive care units, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Tuesday.
The mayor said during an afternoon news conference that he was on a call in the morning with hospital leadership, and every hospital has contingency plans developed and in place.
“Local hospital CEOs have assured me if we experience a rise in COVID positive patients that threatens capacity, they are ready to take action and increase bed space and availability for patients,” Curry said.
“Those in ICU, those that get infected with this in a very serious way, continue to be primarily elderly folks or someone that has some sort of an existing health issue. So people need to be aware if they have an existing health issue, they need to take additional behavior and action to protect themselves. That is why we ask people to wear a mask.”
The number of new coronavirus cases in both Florida and Duval County continued to decline in Tuesday’s report from the state Department of Health, but there were 133 more deaths from COVID-19 reported statewide -- a new daily record. There were seven additional coronavirus-related deaths reported Tuesday in Northeast Florida.
In Jacksonville, two 77-year-old women and an 80-year-old man died. None reported any travel or had known contact with someone who was positive for COVID-19. That brings Duval County’s number of deaths attributed to the virus to 87 -- 13 of which have been reported in the last four days.
In Clay County, two women, ages 63 and 87, and an 80-year-old man died. Only one of those had known contact with someone with coronavirus. Clay County has now had 39 deaths from COVID-19.
The death of a 44-year-old man in Nassau County brings its total to four. Health officials said that man had contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.
“Each individual that has passed away, that is a person. They have a family. They are experiencing the pain of the loss of life in a loved one. That’s why we, as a community, have to work responsibly to slow the spread,” Curry said.