Spike in COVID-19 cases among young people continues in Alachua County

Nearly 80% of record 212 new cases are among patients aged 15-24

A National Guard troop directs cars as a citizens are being tested by a healthcare workers at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing center at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens as the coronavirus pandemic continues on Sunday, July 19, 2020. (David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP) (David Santiago, David Santaigo / Miami Herald)

Alachua County saw a second record day of newly reported COVID-19 cases Saturday -- with nearly 80% of those reported among patients aged 15-24, according to data from the Florida Department of Health.

Alachua County reported a record 131 cases on Friday, then far surpassed that on Saturday with another 212 cases. Both days, nearly 80% of those cases were attributed to patients between 15 and 24 years old.

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RELATED: State data show COVID-19 cases spiking among young people in Northeast Florida

The state data only breaks down age groups for cases among Florida residents.

Alachua County has now reported 6,241 cases since the pandemic began.

So far this month, Alachua County has added 989 new cases, and 642 of those were among the 15-24 age group (65% of cases). In June, that age group accounted for only 45% of cases.

RELATED: 21% of students, staff tested at FSU last week were positive for COVID-19

In St. Johns County 163 of 474 cases reported so far in September have been in the 15-24 age group -- that’s 34% of the cases.

Duval County’s cases are more evenly distributed among age groups, but Jacksonville has reported 337 cases among the 15-24 age group this month -- about 19% of the 1,730 total cases reported so far in September.

Statewide, Florida added 3,190 newly confirmed cases in Saturday’s data, bringing the state to 661,571 cases since the pandemic began.

Florida also reported another 98 deaths on Saturday. Among the newly reported deaths were two Nassau County women -- ages 86 and 91, a 66-year-old Clay County woman and a 71-year-old Union County man.

Daily cases reported in Florida and Duval County since March

The Associated Press reported Thursday that the number of people being treated in Florida hospitals for the disease continued a seven-week downward trend, following peaks of more than 9,500 in late July. There were 2,922 patients in the late morning Thursday, according to a hospital census posted online by the state, down from 3,075 the previous morning.

The state’s top regulator announced Thursday that he will be rescinding an emergency order that has kept bars from serving alcohol on-site and will allow them to reopen at 50% occupancy, starting Monday.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Miami-Dade County and Broward County will move into Phase 2 of reopening starting Monday.

The two counties were among the hardest hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic, recording a total of more than 4,000 resident deaths since the start of the outbreak.