Delta variant contributes to “perfect storm” in Jacksonville, warns expert

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – As more cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 crop up nationwide, health experts in Jacksonville say they are seeing an increasing number of infections linked to the variant.

The concern of an infectious disease expert at UF Health Jacksonville is that the Delta variant, which has become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in the United States, is making patients sicker than before and showing no signs of abating anytime soon.

“It’s the perfect storm that we are seeing and unfortunately it doesn’t look like it’s going away,” said Chad Neilsen, director of infection prevention for UF Health Jacksonville, who saw his patient count. COVID-19 doubling recently.

On Monday, UF Health was caring for 60 people infected with COVID-19, including 23 in the intensive care unit and half on a ventilator. The hospital suspects 15 more patients are infected, but tests are pending.

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That is compared to 133 patients infected with COVID-19 at Baptist Health facilities in the region, 35 of whom are in intensive care.

“We have no doubt that these patients come in with the Delta variant of the virus, which is known to spread faster and in some cases to be more severe,” Neilsen said of the patients at UF Health Jacksonville.

New infections have increased in Florida, which reported 23,697 new cases in its weekly status report last week. This is nearly double the number of new infections reported by the state the previous week. Among the new cases, Jacksonville had 2,127, surpassing 2,000 cases in one week for the first time since February.

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It is not known how many new Jacksonville cases are linked to the Delta variant.

The Florida Department of Health has not released data on the number of Delta variant infections, despite a public record request from News4Jax.

“It’s unfortunate that we don’t get better information from the state of Florida on this,” Neilsen said. “What we get is basically what the public gets, which is just a breakdown of the number of people vaccinated and the percentage of positivity on a weekly basis.”

The wave of new infections is of particular concern, said Neilsen, as vaccination rates have stagnated while restrictions requiring social distancing and masks in some public places have been lifted.

“We are literally looking at thousands of new cases of COVID-19 here in the city or in Duval County last week alone,” he said. ” It’s not surprising. It is simply not surprising. The Delta variant is more contagious and there is no limitation in public at the moment. “

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In addition to hospitals, county jails are another area of ​​concern.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said there are currently 103 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its correctional facilities, including the Duval County Jail. A little less than 2,400 detainees are in preventive quarantine affecting several dormitories.

In a statement, Sheriff Mike Williams said his agency continues to follow CDC guidelines and take action to limit the spread of COVID-19, including testing inmates upon admission and whenever they show evidence. symptoms.

“All areas of our facilities are regularly cleaned and disinfected in accordance with CDC guidelines and all people in the facilities are required to wear masks; inmates included, ”Williams said in part.

Elizabeth Bland, the mother of an inmate, expressed concern about the conditions of detention.

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“My concern is that you are wearing protective suits,” Bland told News4Jax. “You are protected, but you put containers of biological waste in the dormitories where the inmates sleep. “

Neilsen warned that the Delta variant, which would spread faster, could transmit much faster in close quarters, like prison.

“It’s going to spread like wildfire. We know the Delta variant is more contagious, so anytime you bring people together who aren’t vaccinated you’ll see the virus moving very quickly through that population. “