The first two cases of coronavirus in Palm Beach County and five more in Broward County were confirmed, among 15 new ones in the state announced Thursday night by the Florida Department of Health.
The total number of cases of COVID-19 in Florida stands at 50, including 42 people currently in the state, according to the department.
The Palm Beach County cases are two males in their 70s and both are travel related. The department said they will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials.
The 73-year-old’s case is associated with a Nile River Cruise/Tour in Egypt and the 74-year-old man’s case is associated with travel to Europe.
Two other cases have been linked to Palm Beach County. A 37-year-old New York man who remains in quarantine inside his parents home in South Florida after arriving at Palm Beach International Airport aboard a JetBlue flight from New York on Wednesday night. Passenger Scott Rodman told WPTV the man found out he tested positive while on the flight.
On Sunday, the Health Department in Palm Beach County announced a Pennsylvania person who attended a Palm Beach County convention in February tested positive for the virus.
Eleven cases are linked to Broward County which has the largest COVID-19 cluster in Florida. On Tuesday, Broward County officials declared a state of emergency.
Florida Department of Health officials reported about 20% of the positive cases of COVID-19 in Florida are in Broward County. The newly released data suggests the South Florida cluster grew and on Friday investigators had yet to determine exactly how.
Six of the cases in Broward remain under investigation, the data shows. Among the 12 patients who remain in isolation in Broward County is a 20-year-old woman who is from Texas and traveled to Europe, officials said. A 61-year-old man’s COVID-19 case is also travel related.
The cases of three men, ages 65, 67 and 75, and the case of a 69-year-old woman indicated there was community spread because investigators determined they were not related to “a known history of exposure to COVID-19 outside of the state.”
Officials identified the six Broward County patients, whose cases remain under investigation, as three women, ages 25, 28 and 68, and three men, ages 36, 65 and 70.
The 68-year-old woman, whose case remains under investigation, is associated with the Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, officials said. Earlier this week, investigators linked three other cases to various Port Everglades’ cruise terminals.
Three of the cases announced late Thursday are travel related in Broward County — a 25-year-old female, a 36-year-old male and a 20-year-old female who is a Texas resident who went to Europe. It is unclear whether a 28-year-old wman’s case is travel related, and a 68-year old female is associated with Port Everglades.
Four cases are associated with Port Everglades — all connected to or employed by Metro Cruise Services
The 20-year-old victim is the youngest case in the state. The oldest is an 81-year-old woman in Manatee County.
Three other cases in the state are travel related: a 24-year old female in Alachua County, a 49-year old female who is a Hillsborough County resident associated with travel to Europe and a 70-year old male in Volusia County who is associated with a Nile River Cruise/Tour in Egypt.