SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — As the coronavirus positivity rate in Seminole County spikes to more than 20%, emergency management leaders are working to get data out to residents.

After taking the county's COVID-19 dashboard down when cases dropped, Seminole County emergency management leaders have put it back up, now that cases are increasing.   

A big part of Seminole County’s emergency management operation is ensuring county residents have easy access to coronavirus data.

However, leaders say that’s become more complicated, because the state has refused to give them daily coronavirus data like they did in the past. 

Instead, they’re having to get the case data from the CDC, and they’re having to call area hospitals for updates about COVID-19 hospitalizations.  

Seminole County Emergency Manager Alan Harris said it is more difficult now, but their goal is to make sure everyone has accurate information about the pandemic.   

“We want to be as transparent as possible, and unfortunately, Tallahassee has said they’re not going to provide that daily data," he said. "So we’re trying to make sure the community has the information they need to make appropriate decisions." 

Harris said he isn't sure why the state is reluctant to share its data with his office.    

Spectrum News reached out to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office to ask why the state has refused to send daily data to the county but have not yet heard back.