Tracking coronavirus: Charts, maps show number of cases, deaths across the world

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a public health emergency Sunday after two Florida residents tested “presumptively positive” for coronavirus.

A presumptive positive case means the patient has tested positive by a public health laboratory and is pending confirmation testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the CDC.

These charts and maps show how the coronavirus is spreading across the world. The charts and maps below will update automatically with the latest data compiled from the World Health Organization and other sources by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

Here are some things to know about coronavirus. Check back with the Naples Daily News for updates on the virus.

Where are the people?

The first patient is an adult Manatee County resident without a travel history to countries identified for restricted travel by the CDC, the state Department of Health said in a news release.

This person did seek health care, is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials.

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The Florida Department of Health is working with the patient, their close contacts and health care providers to isolate and monitor persons who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and implement testing of anyone who may develop COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, or shortness of breath.

The second patient is an adult resident of Hillsborough County with a history of travel to Italy. This person is isolated and will continue to remain isolated until cleared by public health officials, the release said.

Both adults will remain isolated until “cleared by public health officials.”

3 Florida labs testing for COVID-19

A top Florida Department of Health official said three laboratories in the state can now test for coronavirus.

Deputy Secretary of Health Shamarial Roberson told The News Service of Florida state laboratories in Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa can conduct tests instead of sending samples to federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention labs in Atlanta.

Before the state was able to conduct the tests, it would take three to five days for results. But now, it will take one to two days, according to Roberson.

What's next?

“The Florida Department of Health will actively monitor, at a minimum, all persons meeting the definition of a Person Under Investigation ... as defined by the CDC for (coronavirus) for a period of at least 14 days or until the PUI tests negative,” the executive order from the governor reads.

Anyone who meets the definition of a PUI must be quarantined by the Department of Health for 14 days or until they test negative.

When did the outbreak start? Where did coronavirus come from?

According to Chinese officials, COVID-19 first appeared Dec. 12 about 700 miles south of Beijing in Wuhan, a city with more people than New York and Chicago combined. Health officials say the outbreak originated at the Huanan Seafood Market.

Huanan Seafood, closed by officials on Jan. 1, was a wet market, one of a series of outdoor stalls selling fish and meat, some of it from wildlife. They are called wet markets because sellers slaughter and cut up animals and fish while customers wait.

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The market is suspected because coronaviruses transmit zoonotic diseases, meaning they are transferred from infected animals to humans.

Researchers theorize that someone bought contaminated meat at the market, ate it, got sick and infected others, creating a ripple effect around the world. Bloomberg reported a 61-year-old man, a regular customer of the Huanan market, was the first to die from the virus.

How does it spread?

COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes.

These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

What are the symptoms?

• Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath.

• Symptoms may appear between two and 14 days after exposure.

• Most people recover from the COVID-19 without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems — such as high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes — are more likely to develop serious illness.

What steps can I take to avoid getting sick?

There currently is no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Take these everyday preventive actions to help impede the spread of respiratory diseases:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Stay home when you are sick and avoiding contact with persons in poor health.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

How to wash your hands properly

• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Should I wear a facemask?

The CDC does not recommend that asymptomatic, healthy people wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.

"Seriously people - STOP BUYING MASKS!" Surgeon General Jerome Adams tweeted recently.

"They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!"

Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks also is crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Guidelines for testing

Florida officials have revised guidelines about which residents should be tested for COVID-19. The new guidelines are based on federal recommendations and include testing people who fall into two main categories:

• The first group includes people who have recently traveled to and from China, South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan and have fever and acute upper respiratory infections.

Testing also is recommended for people who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and are suffering from the symptoms.

In addition to those groups, Roberson said the Department of Health is recommending COVID-19 testing for people who have been hospitalized with fevers and acute upper respiratory infections but who have tested negative for influenza.

Roberson said people who fall into those categories and want to be tested should first call county health departments, which are charged with collecting samples.

The collections are done by swabbing people’s noses or throats. County health department telephone numbers can be obtained from the state Department of Health website.

What if I have those symptoms or know someone who traveled to those areas?

A person who experiences a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan and any other destination under CDC travel advisory should call ahead to their health care provider and local county health department and mention their recent travel or close contact.

If a person has had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from this area or been in contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, they should call ahead to a health care professional and the county health department.

The health care professional will work with the state Department of Health to determine if the person should be tested for COVID-19.

For more information, visit the Florida Department of Health website at floridahealth.gov.

Contributing: USA TODAY

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