Seminole County releases heat map of coronavirus cases

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Seminole County officials on Friday released a map showing which local cities have the highest number of patients diagnosed with COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.

The color-coded map uses dark red to denote areas with the most cases, while lighter shades mean fewer cases.

[RELATED: Interactive map shows Florida cities with coronavirus cases | Seminole County leaders say social distancing order in effect along with statewide stay-at-home mandate]

According to the map, the cities with the most cases in Seminole County are Oviedo, Sanford and Longwood.

Data from the Florida Department of Health shows that as of 11 a.m. Friday, there are 26 COVID-19 patients in Oviedo, 26 in Sanford and 25 in Longwood.

Seminole County officials note the total of cases for the county is 168 although the FDOH lists only 160.

As far as the other cities go, Lake Mary has 22 cases, Altamonte Springs has 19, Casselberry has 17, Winter Springs has 15 while Chuluota has three, according to FDOH data.

It’s unclear where the remaining patients are located.

Alan Harris, the chief administrator for the Seminole County Office of Emergency Management, said the data on the heat map doesn’t come as a surprise.

“It goes right along with the most populated areas of Seminole County,” Harris said.

Still, he doesn’t want residents to have a false sense of hope because cases are spread throughout the county and the region.

Thus far, 32 people have been hospitalized to receive treatment for respiratory distress. Overall in the county, patients’ ages range from 19 to 100, county officials said.

Statewide, FDOH puts the total of coronavirus cases at 9,585 -- a number that has grown daily during the past few weeks.

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