Number of novel coronavirus cases in Florida hits 46

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TAMPA, Fla. - Seventeen new positive cases of the novel coronavirus were reported by the Florida Health Department late Thursday, the largest increase within a day in the state as test results start coming in.

Additional cases added Friday bring the number of Florida residents diagnosed to 51. That includes six non-residents -- from New York, Massachusetts and Texas -- who tested positive and are isolating in Florida.

Two people in Florida have died after contracting coronavirus; a third person, an Orange County resident, has died from the virus in California.

Aside from those cases, five Floridians who were traveling in China are being isolated outside of the state. It's not clear if the Orange County case was one of those.

One of the newest cases announced Thursday night is in Hillsborough County and involves a 49-year-old woman, who recently traveled to Europe. Another was a 42-year-old man in Miami-Dade County with a recent history of traveling abroad.

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The virus, known as COVID-19, can particularly affect seniors and people with other medical conditions. Seven of the new cases involved people at least 68 years old, but other cases involved a 20-year-old, a 24-year-old and a 25-year-old.

Doctors at Sarasota Memorial Hospital announced a presumptive-positive patient is recovering at their facility. The patient is a 70-year-old man who was admitted Tuesday. They said during a Friday press conference that he lives in Florida part-time.

He’s since been placed in isolation and under the care of staff trained in infectious disease prevention and control measures. Currently, he’s presumptive positive, but samples have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, the hospital said it is being treated as a confirmed case.

As of Friday morning, there have been 301 negative test results and 147 results are pending. There are 476 people being monitored by the Florida health department and so far, 1,230 people are being monitored to date.

Gov. Ron DeSantis this week declared a state of emergency because of the respiratory disease, which started late last year in China and has spread across the world.

READ: Most coronavirus patients recover, but anxiety and fear still loom

If you feel sick

The Florida Department of Health has opened a COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Agents will answer questions Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.

LINK: Florida's COVID-19 website

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