PALATKA, Fla. — The rising number of COVID-19 cases in Palatka is causing concern for the county of Putnam County.
"We are starting to see a lot of cluster of cases," said Terrill Hill, the mayor of Palatka. "We are seeing 47% of our cases coming from folks who are 35 years or younger and that in itself is quite alarming."
This week, there were several new cases that pushed the number of positive cases above the 200 mark.
Hill believes the significant contributing factor is people are not social distancing like before; they are relaxing their standards.
"We have a number of young people within the county who continue to have large gatherings," he said.
And now the number of positives are up and so are the number of COVID-19 related deaths.
"Seventy-five percent of all the deaths are African Americans and 67% of all the cases inside the city of Palatka are African Americans," said Hill.
To slow the rate, he wants more testing in the black community.
Hill said this year's Juneteenth celebration was canceled due to social distancing concerns.
It is the celebration of when slaves in Texas learned they were free, three years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation.
The City Commission in its virtual meeting will make it an official holiday in Palatka and used the occasion to ramp up coronavirus testing in the black community.
"We are specifically targeting African Americans but we are open to all citizens coming out and being tested as well," said Hill.
Hill wants his community to take the virus seriously and realize everyone is vulnerable.
"There were seven kids between 3 and 17 who tested positive on the same day, and they are all doing well at this time," said Hill. "We are just encouraged and pray that the family will continue to heal."
Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the COVID-19 testing will take place at the Price Martin Center in Downtown Palatka.
Again, it is open to the entire community and the mayor is encouraging everyone to get tested.