Numbers released this morning by the Florida Department of Health show Highlands County has registered 18 new positive cases of the Coronavirus and 127 negative test results. The current report shows 9,665 tests done locally – of those, 9,260 have been negative with 390 positive cases.
The severity of those positive cases remains unknown. Florida Department of Health officials will reveal only that 68 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.
Fire gutted a mobile home near Sebring late last night. Units from Desoto City, West Sebring, Sun ‘N Lake and Lorida responded to the Barnum Street address shortly before 11:30.
No injuries were reported in the fire – which apparently did significant damage to the structure. Preliminary findings by State Fire Marshal’s investigators say they believe it was electrical in nature.
A blaze in a shed sparked an adjoining brush fire at Avon Park Lakes yesterday. Units from Highlands Lakes, West Sebring, the City of Avon Park and even the Florida Forest Service responded and were able to keep it contained mostly to the structure.
Damage to the contents was set at between $5,000 and $7,000. No cause for the fire has been released. There were no injuries reported.
While some communities are discussing de-funding the police, here in Highlands County, a rally in support of law enforcement has been slated for today. Those who back the blue – and the green – will gather at 5:30 this evening at the intersection of Bayview Street and Highway 27 near the Sebring Square shopping plaza to show their support for law enforcement.
The flag and sign wave is expected to run about an hour and a half.