Today is Wednesday, April 1, and the United States has the most confirmed cases in the world with more than 180,000 detected and 3,796 dead. According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the country should expect the death rate to reach 100,000.
The Florida total has officially passed 6,000 cases and reported an additional 14 deaths yesterday — three from Miami-Dade County and four from Palm Beach County.
On Tuesday evening, the University of Miami shared that an employee who belonged to the University’s health system had died due to COVID-19.
Charles Hadley Park began operating as a testing site Tuesday at 9 a.m.. The site, located at 1350 NW 50th St. was open to residents 45 and older experiencing symptoms possibly related to COVID-19. Officials hope testing will expand to all ages by April 1.
City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez signed a third extension to the state of local emergency order at a virtual press conference on Tuesday. Suarez ended his quarantine on Monday after testing negative twice.
Miami Beach announced on Monday that common areas in residential and commercial buildings will be ordered to close immediately. The order also included essential businesses implementing measures to reduce any potential exposure to the virus — closing all self-serve food stations and making sure that employees and customers remain six feet apart.
A temporary field hospital in Miami-Dade was set up in case there’s an overflow of patients. The hospital has been placed at the original location of the Miami-Dade County Fair. Mayor Carlos Gimenez said at a virtual conference on Tuesday that there are 250 beds set up at the site, but that he hopes to never have to use them. Gimenez added that there are 5,000 vacant hospital beds in the county.
NBC 6 reported on Tuesday that a Fresh Market employee in the Aventura location tested positive for COVID-19. The store proceeded with a deep cleaning immediately after being informed and posted signs to notify customers.
Broward County commissioners held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of allowing a Holland America Line cruise ship with sick COVID-19 passengers to dock at Port Everglades. Commissioners weren’t able to reach a vote as the port’s Unified Command said more work needed to be done on the plans submitted by the cruise line. The Zaandem currently has nine coronavirus cases and four deaths.
The Florida Department of Education released a statement on Tuesday that the commissioner of education, Richard Corcoran, had recommended all public and private K-12 schools be closed until May 1. Corcoran’s advice follows President Donald Trump’s extension of social distancing guidelines until April 30.
On The Caplin News: Imogen Francis provides statistical data and local restrictions that have been put in place for Florida due to the coronavirus.
Tweet of the day:
can’t wait to get back to my regularly scheduled depression after my coronavirus pandemic depression is over
— Born Miserable (@bornmiserable) March 31, 2020
