OKEECHOBEE — A 23-year-old male is Okeechobee County's third COVID-19 related death according to the Florida Department of Health report issued July 29. His positive test was reported June 10.

The Florida Department of Health July 29 report shows 858 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Okeechobee County since testing began in March. The positive cases include 854 Okeechobee County residents and four nonresidents, and range in age from 0 to 94.

The county has had three deaths and 78 hospitalizations (76 residents and two nonresidents) related to COVID-19 to date.

According to FDOH, 5,969 tests have been done in Okeechobee County for a positive rate of 14.4%.

The other two fatalities in Okeechobee County include a 65-year-old woman, whose positive test was reported June 22; and, a 70-year-old man whose positive test was reported June 26. One of the deaths was an Okeechobee Health Care Facility resident, according to the FDOH report.

UPDATED FROM JULY 30: On July 30, the “COVID-19: line list of deaths of Florida residents” was revised and that death removed. The report now only shows a 65-year-old female and a 70-year-old male have died of coronavirus-related causes in Okeechobee County.

A note at the top of the state report explains “254 new deaths were added since the previous report and one case was removed (COVID-related death in a Florida resident was ruled out).”

At the July 30 meeting of the Okeechobee County Commission, Tiffany Collins of the Okeechobee County Health Department explained the problem was a lab reporting error.

"It was an individual in a different county with exact same name and date of birth as an individual in our county who passed away," she explained.