Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on April 15
We’re keeping track of the latest news regarding the coronavirus in South Florida and around the state. Check back for updates throughout the day.
THIRD CORONAVIRUS DEATH REPORTED AT POMPANO BEACH NURSING HOME
6:10 p.m.: A third resident of a Pompano Beach nursing home has died from the coronavirus, according to a letter management sent to residents and their families Wednesday.
In the letter signed by The Court at Palm Aire executive director Manuela Gironelle, Gironelle said the resident who passed away was taken to the hospital Tuesday.
Read the full story here.
ANOTHER CORONAVIRUS DEATH CONNECTED TO WINTER PARTY FESTIVAL
6 p.m.: Daniel Thomas Carr, 67, attended one of the biggest gay dance parties in the country — then tested positive for coronavirus and fought his COVID-19 diagnosis for nearly a month before he died Wednesday, according to his family.
Carr, who went by Thom, is the third man to die from coronavirus after attending Winter Party Festival, a week-long series of dance parties held in Miami Beach and across the Miami metropolitan area. At least 38 attendees were sickened or tested positive for coronavirus after the festival, which was held March 4-10, according to organizers.
Read the full story here.
MIAMI-DADE FIRST RESPONDERS HELPING TO TEST HOMEBOUND
5:40 p.m.: Fire rescue crews across Miami-Dade County are now testing people who cannot leave their homes.
Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez told the Miami Herald his colleagues are working under difficult circumstances, setting aside their own anxieties to take samples that will help people find out if they are sick and public health officials better understand the scope of the pandemic.
“Everyone is concerned,” Sanchez said. He said it’s difficult work, but his colleagues are trained to do it and are taking proper precautions.
Read the full story here.
LOCAL OPTIONS TO SHOP FOR FOOD OTHER THAN GROCERY STORES
4 p.m.: Growing tired of picking up groceries at the supermarket or having groceries delivered through Shipt or Instacart? There are other options in Miami to find food.
Here’s a Miami list of some new options shoppers are using to keep their pantries and refrigerators stocked amid the coronavirus crisis.
MIAMI SUPERINTENDENT: RETURN TO SCHOOL THIS YEAR IS ‘UNLIKELY’
3:05 p.m.: On Wednesday, Miami Superintendent Alberto Carvalho tweeted that reopening schools this school year is “not only unlikely but imprudent.”
“This year’s last day of school for students is June 3rd,” he tweeted. “High school graduations begin on May 26th. Bottomline, there are between 26 and 33 days of schooling left this school year. A physical return to schools this year is not only unlikely but imprudent.”
Read the full story here.
MIAMI BEACH HIGH TWINS GET CREATIVE TO HELP DOCTORS
1:20 p.m.: David and Jonathan Tamen, sophomores at Miami Beach Senior High, developed and marketed face shields with their personal 3D printer and laminator that are now used by the neurology unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital and at food distribution events sponsored by the City of Miami Beach.
The face shields may also soon be distributed by the city to anyone in need in order to leave gear on the market available to those on the front lines in the COVID-19 battle.
Read the full story here.
RUBIO DISCUSSES CHALLENGES OF REOPENING ECONOMY
1 p.m.: Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio posted a video to his Twitter account Wednesday afternoon discussing the fragile balancing act of reopening the economy while making sure to avoid another outbreak.
“What we are doing now is not sustainable long term,” Rubio said in the video. “We cannot keep the country in this condition for six months, for nine months, for a year until we have a vaccine.
“Things aren’t going to just go magically back to the way they were on March 1. No matter what kind of openings we see, it will not be back immediately to business as usual.”
Here’s the full video from Rubio ...
PUBLIX IMPLEMENTS SPECIAL HOURS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND HOSPITAL STAFF
12:35 p.m.: Starting Thursday, Publix will stay open late one day and open early one morning to exclusively serve doctors, nurses, other hospital staff and first responders.
Publix pharmacies also will be open during these times, 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursdays and 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Fridays.
Read the full story here.
UPDATED FLORIDA CASE NUMBERS
12 p.m.: On Wednesday morning, Florida’s Department of Health confirmed 453 additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total of confirmed cases to 22,081. There were 20 new deaths announced, raising the death count to 591.
Miami-Dade County (7,863 confirmed COVID-19 cases) and Broward County (3,334 confirmed COVID-19 cases) combine to make up 50.7 percent of Florida’s confirmed case total.
Read the full update on Florida’s case numbers here. The state’s numbers will again be updated Wednesday evening.
TRUMP RESORT IN DORAL LAYS OFF OR FURLOUGHS OVER 500 WORKERS
11:15 a.m.: With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down the tourism industry, the Trump National Doral resort has laid off 560 workers.
The multi-course golf resort and hotel closed March 23 under orders that closed all Miami-Dade County hotels and motels because of the coronavirus crisis.
Read the full story here.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES REDUCING U.S. WORKFORCE
10:50 a.m.: Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is reducing its U.S. workforce by 26 percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than half of those workers in South Florida.
Most of the reductions are permanent layoffs, said Rob Zeiger, chief communications officer, though some are 90-day furloughs with paid benefits.
Read the full story here.
MAN THREATENS A PUBLIX SHOOTING BECAUSE ‘NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE’ WEARING MASKS
10:40 a.m.: A man was arrested after deputies say he threatened a mass shooting at a Florida Publix store because “not enough people” were wearing masks outside amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Robert Kovner, 62, of Sebring was arrested and booked late Tuesday night for the threat he wrote on Facebook, according to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office.
Read the full story here.
FACEBOOK OFFERING HELP FOR STRUGGLING MIAMI BUSINESSES
9:40 a.m.: Facebook says it has put aside $150,000 in cash grants and ad credits to help Miami-Dade County businesses during the pandemic. A spokeswoman says the grants will be distributed to 38 eligible small businesses, with additional grant opportunities expected in the coming days.
To be eligible for the grant, the business must:
▪ Be a for-profit company
▪ Have between 2 and 50 employees
▪ Have been operating for more than a year
▪ Have experienced challenges caused by COVID-19
▪ Be in or near a location where Facebook operates (Miami-Dade County qualifies)
Read the full story here. To learn more about the program and how to apply, visit Facebook.com/grantsforbusiness.
CATCH UP TO START THE DAY
9:15 a.m.: Here are the coronavirus headlines to catch you up on what’s happening around South Florida and the state as Wednesday begins.
▪ Florida has deadliest day with 72 COVID-19 deaths, 34 in Miami-Dade
▪ As coronavirus cases and deaths rise in Miami-Dade, officials plan for ‘new normal’
▪ Coronavirus pandemic expected to wipe out nearly $300M from Miami-Dade budget
▪ Two Pompano Beach nursing home residents have died from coronavirus. More are sick
▪ Stranded tourists moved in to empty, rat-infested Miami house. ‘We have nothing’
▪ These South Florida entertainers have more to offer you than those ‘Tiger King’ binges
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 9:14 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on April 15."
