SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Officials in Seminole County held a news conference Tuesday to provide updates throughout the county.
Speakers at Tuesday’s conference included Seminole County Chairman Jay Zembower, Emergency Manager Alan Harris, Superintendent Dr. Walt Griffin and Health Officer Donna Walsh.
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On Tuesday, the Florida Department of Health reported that there have been 7,530 reported cases of COVID-19 in Seminole County.
518 people have been hospitalized in Seminole County and 151 have died as a result of the coronavirus.
“On June 29, Seminole County issued an executive order requiring social distancing the wearing of facial coverings and masks. At that time, Seminole County was experiencing around 150 to 200 new cases per day,” Harris said. “Two weeks later, which is the incubation period of course of COVID-19, the daily count has dropped and continues to drop.”
Harris said the county is now averaging 30 to 50 cases per day.
“The current positive cases, isolated and quarantined in their homes, has decreased from over 3000 to now just above, 1000, a 65% decrease in Seminole County of current cases,” Harris added. “These numbers mean that Seminole County is simply a safer place than we were a month ago.”
On Wednesday, the online portal for Seminole CARES Small Business Grants will open.
“All funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and Seminole County advises businesses to gather all five supporting documents in advance to prepare for the application portal opening,” officials said.
According to officials, these one-time funds can be used for:
- Rent or mortgage costs for the business location;
- Payroll;
- Utility costs for the business location;
- Investments to meet reopening guidelines, such as purchasing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other workplace improvements directly related to mitigating the spread of COVID-19;
- Remote access equipment, such as computers, software, and printers for employers to enable telecommuting to allow for social distancing; and/or
- Internet-based communications and service delivery technology that helps directly address customers and/or employees in response to new work schedules & service/product delivery.
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