'It's getting worse': Central Florida leaders warn public about a spike in coronavirus cases

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - Seminole County leaders on Thursday held a news conference to inform residents of a spike they are seeing in coronavirus cases.

“This is a big deal and it’s getting worse,” Seminole County Medical Director Todd Husty said. “We were so close to zero. We were that close and then we started opening up.”

The county’s Emergency Manager, Alan Harris, broke down the number of cases they are seeing, citing that "the highest increase in a 24-hour period just happened one day ago with over 30 cases." That number is up from an average of two to four new cases a day.

County leaders reminded people to continue to practice social distancing.

MORE NEWS: Florida cases jump by nearly 1,700, death toll rises by 47

Harris added though that there have not been any coronavirus-related deaths in two weeks. He also said that hospitalizations are up but are still low enough to be managed by the hospitals in the county. 

Seminole County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jay Zembower also spoke at the news conference. He had a message for businesses, stating that  “I cannot tell you how many calls my office has fielded...I went to 'x' restaurant or I went to this business and oh my gosh -- people were stacked on top of each other, they weren’t wearing masks, etc."

He wants to keep businesses open but wants them to stay safe.

“You have to practice social distancing,” Zembower said. “You have to let people understand and feel they’re safe or they’re simply not going to come.”

MORE NEWS: 1.5 million more laid-off workers seek unemployment benefits

Seminole County just found out this week it will get CARES Act relief money from the federal government. County leaders do not know how much they will be getting yet.

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