COVID-19 update for Sebastian and all of Indian River County.

As of 11:00 a.m. Saturday, Indian River County now has 4 positive cases of coronavirus. All are residents of Indian River county. Brevard County still has 4 positive cases.

County officials say 43 people have tested negative, and 9 tests are pending. 2 people are being monitored at this time.

Yesterday, there were three cases reported in Indian River County in less than 24 hours. Right now, all patients are between 69 and 77 years of age. One is male, and the other three are female.

All Florida bars and restaurants were ordered to shut down their dining rooms by Governor Ron DeSantis. Restaurants can offer take-out, curbside pick up, and delivery.

Florida now has 658 COVID-19 cases, and 12 people have died. About 1,049 people are being monitored in the state of Florida at this time.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sebastian City Hall and all other city facilities are now closed to the public – until further notice.

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

The droplets may land on objects and surfaces, living for days. Florida health officials say other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects and surfacings, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

It’s important to know that COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Coronavirus symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure.

Healthy people can recover from coronavirus without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems, and diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus.

Please practice these everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of COVID-19:

Avoiding close contact with people who are sick;
Staying home when you are sick and avoiding contact with persons in poor health;
Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands;
Covering your cough or sneezing into a tissue, then disposing of the tissue;
Washing 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;
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; and
Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Let’s stop the spread of COVID-19. Please, don’t go out in public unless you have to. If you are older and have a chronic condition, stay home.

If you have questions, the Indian River County Emergency Information Center is open from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. Call 772-226-4000. Or you can call the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 call center, which is open 24/7. Call (866) 779-6121.

Sebastian Daily will continue to publish updates.

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