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Seminole County ramps up COVID-19 testing as cases rise in Central Florida

The County reported its highest single-day number of cases this week

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Hundreds of vehicles lined up outside Lake Brantley High School as Seminole County's latest pop-up coronavirus testing site reached capacity early Wednesday.

The site was one of seven locations that have opened in an attempt to meet testing demands throughout the community.

Earlier this week, sites opened outside Winter Springs High School and Carillon Elementary School.

Faith Sharpe said she chose to get tested after concerns over who she's been in contact with.

"We had a friend who's whole house tested positive that we hang out with, so we're going to make sure that we're not (positive)," she said.

The increase in testing comes as Florida has seen a surge in cases with the state reporting a record 5,511 positive results on Tuesday.

Officials said outbreaks have been linked back to bars in Seminole, Orange, Brevard and Volusia counties.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis said an establishment that doesn't follow CDC guidelines could have its license suspended.

"The guidelines are in place for a reason. They're not doing it just to do it," DeSantis said. "They're doing it to have environments that are not huge risks for transmissions."

As officers are on the lookout for violations at drinking establishments, local leaders said they're working to meet the demand for coronavirus tests.

Seminole County reported its highest single-day number of cases this week and a daily positive rate between 10.3 and 18.6 percent.

For details on how to make an appointment at a Seminole County testing site, visit PrepareSeminole.org.


About the Author
Mark Lehman headshot

Mark Lehman became a News 6 reporter in July 2014, but he's been a Central Florida journalist and part of the News 6 team for much longer. While most people are fast asleep in their bed, Mark starts his day overnight by searching for news on the streets of Central Florida.

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