Doctor says COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing at AdventHealth Centra Care locations in Orange County

ORLANDO, Fla. — COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing at AdventHealth Centra Care locations in Orange County, a local doctor said.

Dr. Tim Hendrix said Christmas gatherings over the weekend are playing a huge role in the current case surge.

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“This is the rapid rise that we’ve been experiencing in that last two weeks,” Hendrix said. “We’ve gone from a 5% positivity to 39% across Central Florida in a matter of two weeks.”

Positive cases are nearly eight times what they were just two weeks ago. On Monday, COVID-19 cases were even higher in Orange County.

“45%, nearly half of people coming in to Centra Care in Orange County yesterday only were testing positive for COVID,” Hendrix said.

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So what’s driving the surge?

“The numbers we’re seeing right now are most likely due to just the family gatherings, the transmission travel, etc. That’s accelerating this virus,” Hendrix said.

READ: Coronavirus: CDC recommends shorter COVID isolation, quarantine times

With New Year’s Eve just two days away, many people are scrambling to get tested hoping, to salvage ringing in the year with friends and family. Still, Hendrix said incubation periods allow for false results.

“You definitely want to try to get tested beforehand. Still, that’s not even a guarantee because I’ve seen people turn positive within the day and have a negative test in the morning,” he said.

READ: Coronavirus: study suggests virus lingers in organs for months

Hendrix said your best bet is to keep your gatherings small and not combine more than two households.

Doctor: 'Nearly half' tested at Orange County CentraCare clinics Monday were positive for COVID-19 (Kirstin Delgado/WFTV)

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