On Wednesday morning, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that 260 workers at the Orlando International Airport tested positive for the coronavirus. This, after less than 500 employees were tested.

Tuesday, he had said that number tested positive “at an airport”, and clarified it as Orlando International Wednesday morning – but airport leadership disputed that the 260 cases came from a pool of 500, and that about half were employees and the other half linked to them through contact tracing. There are over 20,000 credentialed airport workers.

Later in the day Greater Orlando Aviation Authority CEO Phil Brown clarified the data points:

“Five hundred tests were performed over three days. Thus far, there have been only two positive tests from those 500. In discussion with Dr. Raul Pino, the Public Health Director for Orange County, it appears that is the extent of the results from those 500 tests. That would calculate to be a 0.4 percent positivity rate for COVID-19 for those 500 tests. Dr. Pino also advised that he believes the use of masks and facial coverings at MCO and the observance of social distancing is a significant contributor to the low positivity rates.”

“On June 6, Dr. Pino sent me information that tracked the positive COVID-19 tests for people employed at Orlando International Airport. Beginning in mid-March and through June 6 there were a total of 132 employees of all the airlines, rental car companies, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Aviation Authority that tested positive. An additional 128 individuals that tested positive were not employees of the airport but were linked (Epilinks) or traceable connections to the 132 individuals that work at MCO, for a total of 260 individuals. To put it in perspective, the 132 airport employees represent 0.6% of the estimated 22,000 badged employees that work at MCO and those infections occurred over a period of roughly 2.5 months.”

The news has those in the NBA, which is prepared to move it’s “bubble” to Walt Disney World to finish its season at ESPN Wide World of Sports at the end of July, reacting and questioning the move.