In their report this morning, Florida Department of Health officials say Highlands County has registered five new positive cases of the Coronavirus and 174 negative test results. The current report shows 8,784 tests done locally. Of those, 8,425 have been negative with 350 positive cases.
They report that as a 96-percent negative testing rate.
The severity of those positive cases remains unknown. Florida Department of Health officials will reveal that 58 people have been hospitalized locally at some point in their illness. Since numbers started being kept, 11 fatalities in Highlands have been tied to the Coronavirus.
Lake Placid police say they have recorded the second traffic fatality in as many days there. A 24-year-old Lake Placid man was killed when his car was hit broadside by a tractror trailer rig. According to reports, it appears Emilio Cardenas ran the red light at the intersection of Interlake Boulevard and Highway 27 about 10:30 last night.
Yesterday morning, a Sebring woman was killed in a traffic crash. 33-year-old Opal Kendricks was northbound on Highway 27 was ejected from her vehicle when it rolled near Lake Henry Drive.
Highlands County sheriff’s officials say it may be a while before they release the name of the person found dead in a Sunday night fire at Sun ‘N Lake South. Apparently making a positive identification of the remains has been difficult.
Units from all over the county descended on the mobile home on Swanunee Lane. However, despite arriving within seven minuets of the initial call – they say the home was nearly a total loss.
The State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the incident.
Another day full of fires in Highlands County yesterday. First the flames broke out in Venus – apparently sparked by a lightning strike. Authorities say there were several brush fires along the west side of Highway 27 near Herrell road. The Florida Forest Service dispatched a dozer to help corral that one.
A second blaze in the area charred about three acres.
The third fire was reportedly off State Road 621 near Able Road in Highlands Park. That one apparently was five acres in a sugar cane field. Units from Lake Placid, Sun ‘N Lake South, Leisure Lakes and Lorida turned out to put that one down.