SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — The Florida Department of Health has confirmed the first coronavirus-related death in the Big Bend.
According to a Tuesday morning update from FDOH, three people, all over the age of 70, have died in Suwannee County after contracting the virus.
An 74-year-old Suwannee County man's death was verified Monday after his case was initially counted April 5, according to the latest report released by the Florida Department of Health.
Two others, 77-year-old woman and another 74-year-old man, also died within the last week after contracting the virus, though their cause of death has not yet been verified.
None of the people who died in Suwannee County had a history of travel, but all were hospitalized and connected to an existing case.
Suwannee County currently has 75 cases of coronavirus. Of those, at least 65 are related to a long term facility.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said last week that the FDOH's 'strike team' was investigating an outbreak at the Suwanneee Health and Rehabilitation Center. He says that outbreak has been traced back to a single employee who had been directly working with residents.
Earlier this week, the Department of Health in Wakulla and Jefferson counties each announced its first COVID-19 deaths in a 65-year-old man and a 93-year-old woman, respectively. However, their exact cause of death has not yet been verified by FDOH.
