ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Since operations began on March 25, medical professionals at the Orange County Convention Center drive-thru coronavirus testing site have collected 2,720 samples from patients fearing they could be suffering from COVID-19.
The numbers were released Sunday afternoon by the The Florida National Guard, which operates the location.
Because the testing site is federally run, only 250 samples can be collected per day. Medical personnel at the site had to stop accepting new patients hours or even minutes after opening several days last week because the demand was so high.
Initially testing kits were reserved for first responders and those 65 and older but the guidelines have since been expanded to include anyone with a preexisting condition.
Although anyone can contract COVID-19, the elderly and those who have preexisting conditions are most at risk for developing severe or even deadly side effects.
The site at the Orange County Convention Center is one of five the Florida National Guard operates across the state.
Here are the total numbers for the other four locations:
- C.B. Smith Park in Broward County: 8,353 sample collections.
- Hard Rock Stadium in Miami-Dade County: 8,558 sample collections.
- Marlins Park in Miami-Dade County: 2,258 sample collections.
- West Palm Beach Fit Stadium Site in Palm Beach County: 2,067 sample collections.
Statewide, 114,580 people have been tested for the highly contagious respiratory illness, according to the Florida Department of Health. Of those tests, 12,151 were positive and 101,253 were negative as of Sunday morning.
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