Very concerning: Officials report large increase in concentration of COVID-19 detected in wastewater – WESH 2 Orlando

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and good morning everyone Thanks so much for being here at the eastern water reclamation facility. We appreciate you being here with us this morning. Thanks to our host utilities director at Torres who is here and our median communication host Debbie sponsor and sara lux. Thank you so much for making this happen today. The mayor will discuss utilities. What happens here at this facility? Its importance especially as it relates to the covid 19 pandemic. The mayor will provide details on testing and vaccination sites as well as our positivity rates and a brief outline on our emergency rental assistance program. Dr Raul pena from the florida Department of Health in Orange County is here and the aforementioned utilities director Ed Torres will bring comments as well. We begin with mayor Demings mayor. All right, thank you dr Williamson. Ah thank you to all of you. I think we’re gonna have to adjust the mic or slightly here up with from Yeah, yeah. All right. And let me just start by saying good morning to you. Before we get started. I wanted to talk about the situation in Haiti. Our hearts go out to the Haitian people who are not only facing the tragic loss of life from saturday’s earthquake, about the possibility of flash flooding and mudslides from the tropical depression grace here in Orange County. We will be communicating with the local council general the representative from Haiti regarding next steps of how we may be able to best assist that country in the coming weeks. We ask that you all please ah keep the people of Haiti and your thoughts and prayers and again. Ah We certainly understand some of the concerns that are residents here within Orange County may have because of their loved ones back in their home country as far as the tropical depression, Grace is concerned with florida. The latest track shows no direct impact on our state at this time. So I’ll just transition and talk now about today’s event. Since May, Orange County has been actively participating in the C. D. C. S. National wastewater surveillance system. It is part of a national network of wastewater treatment facilities monitoring the coronavirus across the United States. The purpose of this monitoring and why we brought you here today is to show how this helps us understand the spread of the virus within our community and how those concentrations reflect both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. Knowing where there is a high concentration of Covid 19 RNA and waste water helps us understand the spikes trends or outbreaks and allows for increased preventative measures and allocation of resources to areas showing high infection here within our county. In our county of 1.4 million residents. Orange County utilities serves about 870,000 people, more than half of our residents. And it is a great barometer of where the coronavirus is concentrated outbreaks and infections can be predicted as early as four days in a moment. Our utilities director mister ed Torres will have the latest numbers and we’ll show you exactly how our utilities employees monitor wastewater for covid 19 R. N. A. Now let’s talk a little bit about the vaccination where we stand. I’m pleased to say that the message is getting out here within our community as more people are going to Camping World stadium uh to get the vaccine on saturday and sunday camping world close the drive through line early due to demand, We are able to vaccinate up to 750 people a day at camping world and our Orange County health services workers can handle more if needed. One announcement starting today, camping world would be administering fighter only our supply of the johnson and johnson from the state of florida has not been replenished. So from now on it will be only fighter that would be given out at camping world stadium. And remember that no testing occurs at camping world only the vaccination shots. As for our three testing sites. The response for getting covid 19 antonin pcr tests remain very strong during this last week and weekend. At the newest testing site, the former Clara kona elementary school, They saw nearly 1300 tests That were administered on Saturday and Sunday of this past weekend. At the economy soccer complex. Over the weekend they saw a total of 2,641 tests that were performed. And finally at the Barnett Park location, the numbers continue to be high. 2900 tests were done over the past two days. So on all over the weekend. The three testing sites administered nearly 6800 tests. All three testing sites plus camping world stadium vaccination site operates seven days a week between the hours of nine a.m. And five p.m. And I’ll move to talk about the coronavirus numbers of the cases. Specifically, there are now 188,720 for positive reports of the coronavirus within our community. So approaching 190,000 cases, I never thought that we would ever get to that number. On Sunday, there were 1020 new cases reported in the county. On that day alone, Dr Pino will get more into the details. The number of deaths in Orange County continues to rise. We are now at 101,452 deaths. That’s 10 more since Thursday’s briefing, Our 14 day positivity rate Is leveling out at 20% still much higher than what we want to see within our community. and uh for those 12 years of age and older who have received at least one Shot at this point we are over 65% of our residents. Now let me talk a little bit about that. I got my shot trailer is continuing to move throughout our community. Ah this week it will be also at the um Lake Buena vista factory stores on state road 5 35 until one p.m. That’s today. Then the vaccine trailer heads to the Dover shores neighborhood center this afternoon. On and on Tuesday morning the trailer would be at the chick fil a at 1800 sand lake road. Later that afternoon the trailer would be at the West oaks mall by the tax collector’s office. On Wednesday morning it would be at the Orange County Courthouse in oh coy. A second trailer will be at Lake Eola Wednesday morning. Then Wednesday afternoon. The trailer will be located at the tax collector’s office located off of lee vista and thursday morning the trailer will be at the smith neighborhood center on brooding boulevard. So you can see we’re truly moving throughout the community. Also on thursday afternoon it will be at the end town suites extended stay only road. For more information you can go to our website at O. C. Fl. Dot net slash I got my shot And finally a little update on our rental assistance program. In terms of our program will moving around the county and select library branches between the hours of 10 a.m. And one p.m. For the remainder of august the program will be at the South Trail branch on Tuesdays South Creek branch on Wednesday. The fairview Fairview assures branch on thursday and the chickasaw branch on Fridays. At this point we have given out over six points Of $5 million 1,177 families which have been able to stay in their homes and with that I’m gonna turn it over to dr pino at this time. Good morning everyone. Good morning mayor. Thank you. They mentioned the mayor mentioned to you that we are 188,724 cases and our pasta lee ray For the 14 day rolling average continues to be around 20%. The numbers of days at 1452 with 10 additional added. Since we talked, we talked to you um, last time. Um, the total number of death in August we are August 13 today. Is that right? No, what day is today? 16. So we are at the 16 day of the month. I was so far has 28 death. So although I, we have not made any calculation because the numbers are quite low still. Um it is safe to say that there is an increase at least in the first half of this month has been an increase in the rate of death. Um from this new wave of the pandemic. We also want to um dedicate some time to explain to you at a strategy for testing in the schools. So we are going to use to a strategist to test in the school, one is going to be during school hours and the other one is going to be after school hours are going to explain today after school hours because that’s the one that we are going to start today and then I will just give you a little bit on the schools in a school testing which will depend on additional funding that we are expecting from the state. So we are going to start testing from 4 to 8 o’clock every day including weekends at each different commissioner um, district for the, for the board, each of the boar Men’s Bird District, we will have one day a week and we will be at the same location every day of the week, meaning on Mondays we will always be that that place sold Tuesday Wednesday, thursday, friday Saturdays and Sundays During the weekdays 4-8 that will be intended for students, the family of those students that goes to that area and employees of those schools that goes into that area from OCP s, it’s not intended for the community at large. That’s what we have. The other side’s, we don’t size decides to be overwhelmed is intended again for all Cps and we are going to use um, pcr and rapid testing. Now the Saturdays and Sundays will be open from 10 o’clock in the morning to four p.m. And that one will allow anyone from the community to come and test. Um, so this monday or every single monday, will we be a Catalina elementary school And that would be from four pm to eight pm, You can go into the OCP s website and if you have additional questions you can ask scott who is here too. And then after, after we get the additional resources that we are expecting from the state and if we get approved, our next level is also to do in a school testing. That in a school testing will be any time that anyone within that school show up symptoms. It is intended forcing dramatic people. The idea beyond that testing is that we can quickly identify anyone who may have developed symptoms, either show up to school with symptoms, employers, students or during the school hours and we want to rapidly exclude this individual from the classroom or the environment. If the person has become positive for this one will use pcr a rapid pcr and it will be confirmed if necessary. Um now it is important to know that we need parental concern for him to test any students. So for those who are going to show up at the after school testing, you need to have a parental consent with you and you have to have your parents with you because more likely you will be a minor For those who are 18 and older. Of course they can make those decisions. Then self with that I will uh pass the microphone to Editori, the utilities Director and then I will answer any questions that you may have. Thank you, thank you dr pinos and good morning as mentioned by major Demings. Orange County is actively participating in the C. D. C. National Wastewater surveillance system where concentrations of SARS COV. Two R. And A. Are being monitoring the wastewater through facilities around the country to better understand the spread of the virus. Orange County utilities started sampling back in mid May of this year. Um again for copies of the virus of that are and A. That we can find in the wastewater and those RNA concentrations as the mayor mentioned can give us an idea of both infected um a symptomatic and symptomatic individuals. Um What we measure in the wastewater are fragments of the virus that are known contagious non viable. But that provide was with an advanced warning and serves on a predictor Of upcoming clinical cases within the coming forward to 10 days or so. Similar wastewater surveillance programs are being used around the world as a as a very effective tool against the fight against the pandemic, determining spikes trends and allocation of resources and public health preventative measures. Now here in Orange County utilities we provide services as mentioned to 870,000 people in three different service areas. Today we’re at the Eastern water reclamation facility Which serves over 280,000 people right here in our community and it’s one of the three areas that we sample although the results fluctuate the concentrations of the virus RNA that we’re seeing and that we measure show an overall increasing trend in our service areas and that’s what we look for. Not one concentration, but the trend over time and again, I want to highlight this what we measure our non contagious, non viable fragments of the virus but that still can give us an idea of what’s to come is a great predictor. When we started sampling back in mid May Or concentrations our concentrations that we were getting in the three service areas where around 200,000 gene copies of the virus per liter or latest result from this past thursday Are showing right here. In the Eastern Service area concentrations of 2.073 million. Almost 2.1 million gene copies of the virus per liter. That’s a 674% increase from what we had in mid May. In the South Service area. The concentrations that we have FS last Thursday is 1.252 Gene copies of the virus per leader. Again, 1.2 million. And that’s a 740% increase from where we were in mid May. In the Northwest Service area, The concentrations are at one million gene copies of the virus per liter And that’s a 558% increase since mid July. I can tell you that both in the Eastern and in the South Service area we saw an increasing concentrations from monday monday’s concentration through Thursdays concentration. Um However in the Northwest Service area we have seen three samples back to back ah with lowers numbers which is an encouraging fact there. Hopefully that continues to decrease as we move forward. Um nevertheless, these concentrations, again, if you picture that we were at 200,000 and we are in the millions. Um these are very high and and very concerning still to put it in perspective. I have been working with wastewater basic epidemiology almost since the beginning of the pandemic. In another utility Um since April of 2020 and the highest concentration that I recorded during that time was that the first wave of the virus infections was 2.8 million gene copies of the virus. We have now exceeded that With three million copies of the virus right here in the East Service area on July 29 and we have been very close to that 2.8 million That we had early on now in the northwest area at 2.6 million. Also in July 29. Again, the results of the virus RNA. That we’re measuring the wastewater indicate that we will see continued clinical cases and hospitalizations this week even beyond what was reported this weekend. So please um we urge you to get vaccinated and to continue to take the appropriate precautions. Are you Dennis? All right, We’ll open it up for questions If there ah any questions in spanish we have ah the ability to do translation. I believe. Commissioner Gomez cordero I saw coming up ah we also have this Ilia Torres who’s here that can do translation. I don’t see anyone from the school district back there. Yeah, scott howard from our school district is ah there in the audience as well and our public safety director Danny Banks has joined us so we’ll open it up for questions at this time. Okay. I believe we’re moving the microphone around steve Houdek from the Orlando Sentinel. Sorry about yelling there. Um I was wondering if I could ah I have a question of Ad Torrez. Yeah. Mr Torres. Um The ah how long does it when you have these ah these numbers, how far out does it take for these hospitalizations to result from the numbers that you I mean I’m not really phrasing this question very well. Um But do you kind of get the gist of what I have. I follow what you’re saying. So again from the moment that we get that sample that the sample was taken, it takes a couple of days to get analyzed but from the day that the sample was collected Um we see the clinical cases to follow again within 4 to 10 days. And that range is a little bit remember. We’re seeing both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. The hospitals and the medical providers are seeing only the symptomatic um patients um And I didn’t show you this earlier. It’s hard to see uh maybe from the distance but you can see how are concentrations since May through The beginning of July were pretty flat around that 200,000 that I mentioned ah there after the concentrations just went up and have continued to have that trend. Okay, right. This is melissa thomas flooded nationally. Was this question is actually for mayor Demings. I just want to piggyback off of what Mr Torres reported earlier given the numbers that he’s seeing now. Like as of thursday, what’s normally the next steps in the sequence when you see an increase in in samples like that. What’s usually the next step in the sequence for Orange County to do? Well what we do is ah coordinate, we provide the data to the Department of health to dr pino uh and it gives us um one indicator that we have to then go through and validate through hospital emissions through the test results that we received within our county and we have to make decisions about any adjustments. The reason why we are geographically located here at the eastern plan today is because this is this is the area that has the highest concentration. So what we try to then do is ensure that any messaging to respective communities can be a focused uh in a particular area as we began to try to provide accurate and timely information to our residents so that they can take appropriate precautions. We want our business community to take precautions for their employees and their patrons and we want our residents to take precautions such as wearing a facial coverings if you’re going to go out to dinner uh, and being an enclosed space, you know, we want you to wear your facial coverings until you’re eating and uh also considered the social distancing and other things that need to be taken into consideration. So it’s just one of many indicators that still needs to be validated by hard data based on our actual experience here with in Orange County. Hey, they’re not even with new six DR peter. I have a question regarding testing in schools. So is it gonna be like every day in the district district? So Mondays at Catalina and then Tuesday will be at a different district. Um, and and the reasoning behind this and then my, it’s a lot of patients do parents to give permission for kids in school testing with symptoms. I mean would parents be okay with that? So there’s a lot to it. So they in school testing has not started. That will be if we get additional resources which we are expecting. And at that time we probably consult with the state health department. I create a consent form that we already have but one that could be extended like any time that you need to test my child. It can be tested that type of authorization during that period at the same time. Probably parents who don’t want the kids to be tested. They say, well, we’ll get there. Um, with regard to the after school’s testing. The intention is to give the feasibility for parents that maybe a work that don’t have those resources that cannot take a day off to come and get tested as a family unit. That is the intent because the child doesn’t live alone. So as we said before, the child is just a vector between the school and the home back and forth. But it’s the same environment is all we are all one community. So the idea is to offer that testing for families and Children who may not be able to take advantage of the other sites that the county has opened. The idea is also to accelerate testing for schools so that we can prevent infections in the schools. The idea of with the rapid testing in schools when we get there, that one is intended to catch any cases that may have come to a school symptomatic or may develop symptoms in their trouble to school or employees, but also for anyone who may develop symptoms during the entire day of school operations here? Excuse me, Lauren Seabrook Channel nine. Mayor, This is for you and dr pino. Um, I’m wondering if you guys have spoken directly with any of our local hospitals lately. We’ve been hearing a lot from doctors and nurses within the hospitals who seem to be calling out for help. Some are asking for field hospitals saying that they’re running out of space. We’re not hearing that as much from the hospital spokesperson. So I’m just curious if you guys are hearing any of that directly from them. We’re not hearing that directly from the hospitals. Ah We are in daily communications with our hospitals. We have ah an executive policy group called ah several times a week. And yes, the hospitals uh only a limited by the staff is you’ve heard them explain. It’s not so much a just about the actual bed itself, but everything that has to be put in place to support that bed, all of the staff. And so they clearly are running into some critical numbers at this point ah before we would need to set up in a type of community type of a hospital, a Mash hospital set up ah they would look in turn onto their facilities, it’s all about the staffing and so uh dr pino certainly has been in communication with them and I’ll let him respond what he’s hearing. But we do hear a lot of chatter within the community about the hospitals being overrun. There’s no question that ah the hospitals are busy and they don’t have a lot of flexible space at this time. I only know that because I’ve communicated with the families of several of our employees who are hospitalized, some in critical care units, some are in the hospital and from the families who have communicated with. There have been some challenges. Sometimes we’re getting bed space especially if they are non covid related patients. So it’s a bit of a challenge for us. Doctor pino. You want to add to that. I mean we have been in communication with some of the hospitals in the area and they are all experiencing a high volume of cases. Now they do ah always address the issue that they have enough um PPE and other resources ah to take care of the ah the patients. And the issue is not so much about capacity itself in the sense that they still have some capacity although that could run out soon. They also, the issue is that because they are in this influx of COVID-19 cases, there are other things that has been postponed and cannot be taken care the regular cases. So there are um cases waiting for two more to be removed. Uh There are cases in every placement that has been postponed and that’s all the issues that the hospitals are very concerned because when this happened before in, in one of the ways that we have and elected procedure were removed. Then when regular patients will come back to the hospital, they are sicker than they were at the time that the diagnosis were made. So it makes those cases even more complicated. And that’s the concern that the hospitals are really really expressive If there’s known carving 19 cases, what do we do? Dave Mcdaniel from Channel Two of a question for Mayor Demings. If I can follow up with Ed as well. First Mayor Demings. So you obviously say that on the east side where we’re seeing these spikes, you’re hoping that people will take necessary precautions. How frustrating is it as you work to try to boost the public health ah future for the county, that there are still some people that aren’t playing by these safety protocols. You know, it’s unfortunate that we do have some people in our community who are not paying attention to the science or don’t believe it, but each day I believe it gets better because what we see as infection continues to spread, it gets closer and closer to an individual’s family. And because of that, we have seen a shifting and some of their beliefs and so I remain highly courage encouraged. I’m gonna also go back to the issue about our hospitals. We do see with our paramedics. Um we see where they are taking patients to the hospital and not being able to go back in the in in service because they have to stay with that patient until they get a bed, that they get a hospital staff member, that uh that patient can be transitioned to to ensure the continuity of care. And so it does impact when we see the backups in our hospital and impacts us in terms of our delivery of service Countywide. Uh with that uh the question you have additional questions for editorial it very variants. So we are testing for eight mutations. Six variants. Okay. Remember each Barry in may have as many as 24 different mutations. Each one of those are going to vary ah for each variant, there were testing for the most prevalent mutation for each variant. Um Those are not measuring concentration, they’re measuring percentages and just to give you an idea, the one that we’re most concerned about is the delta variant. Um And unfortunately just like the concentrations we saw from june May and june the percentage of the delta very in Um that particular mutation that is the most prevalent increase from 15 to 20%. Round numbers 2 98 and 100 um through our current numbers um Again through that period of time, those first two months of ah May and june 15 to 20% Um jumping 200 on that delta bar in. Thank you. I have a question to follow up. I guess it would be mr Torres and possibly the mayor holly Bristow with Fox 35 news. Hi gentlemen. Um when you get these numbers back and you’re seeing spikes in different parts of the counties, can you give us an example of decisions that have been made because of spikes and numbers that you’re seeing aside from holding today’s news conference here because you’ve got a big spike here. Well, I think you have all seen that um the major has taken action ah with regards to testing sites and vaccination sites based on that data and I’ll leave it at that. And the major kind elaborate on that. But um, we saw increases in this area and we saw increases in the northwest area and decisions were made based on those concentrations and and seeing the increases which we’re going to be followed by increases in clinical cases in those specific areas. It is precisely right When we have made decisions about where we were set up additional testing sites, where we were uh, set up additional vaccination opportunities, we’ve taken that into consideration and then the collateral materials that are being produced by our communications division. We’ve been working with our board of county commissioners to ensure that we provide them with information so that they can communicate with their various constituents and they’re reaching out to community based organizations uh, to partner with them. We continue to also see a fairly active participation from our retail pharmacist where a vaccination opportunities are being provided there. And so we’re just correlating and coordinating uh, the information to ensure that we are responding uh, in a timely manner to what we’re seeing here on the ground in our community. Okay, William Diaz Masi and puntos yet. FM is a specific committee but uh dr pinot or uh, Mayor demons um getting in there. The Cuando sporadic ponyville lava kuna, the moderna is johnson and johnson. If ah the question is if for mayor de means or dr pino if I have any idea or when we have back the vaccines uh, from johnson and johnson and uh Moderna and it’s due to the fact that some people start also traveling. They haven’t get the vaccine already and they need to get one shot for instance. So um johnson and johnson uh, at this point we have no ability to order johnson and johnson. Um, that will change I believe. But right now the state have bisys that what we have is what we have and they will let us know if in the future there’s going to be more to order with regard to Moderna. It can be easily order is available. Ah we are handling more fights at the mother nap because our county thanks to the county. They acquired the technology for Pfizer. So we are allowing other counties that may not have those um resources to order the Moderna which not requires deep deep freezing temperatures but we can have both in a panel uh johnson and johnson uh, nope not anymore like capacidad or then I get a memento. Look at the name of hell. Okay. I he knows our embassy sabah bipolar or the not person of the Haran severe I can respect to Moderna. Okay now let animal Tandy peninsula comma Pfizer lying and condo L. A. And ultra syria is impressive. Ordinary to be possible. dr pena. See performer Kanye briefing aneurysm in the parking lot to directed mayor demons also quality principal preoccupation, crank sufficient money to collaborate paradigm when we return to in this covid. Pero tambien the hospitalizations so uh two parts uh one if I can summarize a little bit, everything that I said in spanish and the second one for the mayor and I if we think that we are getting sufficient support and collaboration from the community as we face these new faces. But ah la primera Pregunta tambien Deimos part of the orientation will accompany a Latina, Yamaha fraser Uh probably the COVID-19 and like Koalas a bomb on common sorrow in Catalina elementary school. The idea is that the negotiator, Raonic, responding a lot different member of the board of education. Obama hot are gonna carry the other Laksamana bomb what Rcmp salome mora in C. M. P. And women. Maquila L. Epidemic hotel put forward straighten the Aliquippa corresponding Alario today’s sophisticated to celebrate. So true la probably roberta the Quattro Motorola nokia lumia fairness. El domingo uh Sabado domingo tearing up here to the quad royal Attardi uh cultural energy leopard Imo Hallahan to the public. General L’aquila pantry loggia, Semana Porcello, numerous, unlimited economic concentration. Oh and light to enter so familiarize. Ella trabaja adorable city. Macular than the internet mojo protecting sites around the candle occupying offices. Hello hala persona handle a lot of parties you can tackle a veranda Loma camp with. I used a mental about last year he gets an equal or as soon as his young personnel, the carnival Pero que el tipo el Volumen affection que tenemos 12% tobacco Nada. The pair are okay bye prevented the Alguna Manera it infection just asymptomatic was symptomatic pero um you crockery to no no ankle pombo’s cee lo balloon may continue in the La manera que continuum. Um The second part of my answer with regard if we’re getting collaboration from the community. I say I believe so. Although we know that it’s a segment of the community that refused to get vaccinated and that’s a personal choice and also refused to take all the precautionary measures. But the reality is that anyone who is now vaccinated at the level of infections that we’re having should expect to get this infection if you don’t get vaccinated, you may experience as symptomatically. But the levels that we have right now, I don’t think that many people could escape this infection if we don’t get vaccinated. I think my biggest concern is that a person who could be possibly prevent it from getting the virus doesn’t get the vaccine in time to prevent themselves from being infected persona. Una Ola La receive a tiempo para prevent infection. So that’s why we continue to do these press briefings and we continue to work with our media partners on this public health pandemic to encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated to seriously consider getting vaccinated. Actually, it’s a sunny periodic to Yamada is a person okay considering syria meant to receive. Okay. Thank you for the question. And I’m not sure where the mic is at this point. Okay. No other questions. All right. Uh, if there are no other questions, what we’re going to do, ah if you see the gentleman over to my left, to your right, uh they are going to be taking out a sample and we’re going to reconvene in that area. If you want to actually see a sample being extracted. Uh thank on august of 19 this coming thursday.