Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on April 16
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.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN EXTENDS SUSPENSION OF CRUISES
5:55 p.m.: On Thursday, Royal Caribbean announced ships would resume sailing on June 11. The company originally announced on March 24 that it would cancel cruise services until May 12 because of the coronavirus.
Read the full story here.
KEY BISCAYNE ENFORCING RULES ON CONSTRUCTION SITES
5:45 p.m.: Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey said the village has shut down five construction sites for failing to use proper personal protective equipment.
Here’s a video message from Davey on the current situation ...
NEED PET FOOD? MIAMI-DADE’S ANIMAL SHELTER IS HERE TO HELP
5:30 p.m.: Miami-Dade’s animal shelter Friday will offer a drive-through distribution of free pet food for dog and cat owners hurt by the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis.
Miami-Dade Animal Services is hosting a drive-through “Pet Food Bank” on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or while supplies last), at the Pet Adoption and Protection Center at 3599 NW 79th Ave., Doral.
Read the full story here.
YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET FAIRCHILD PLANTS DELIVERED TO YOUR HOUSE
5:15 p.m.: Instead of picking up your plants from Fairchild this year, the “Safer From Home” Spring Plant Sale will deliver rare and exotic plants to your front door because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Plant lovers can shop and make purchases on fairchildgarden.org/events.
Read the full story here.
LIBRARIES REDUCING HOURS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS, ADDING MORE FORMS
5 p.m.: The Miami-Dade library branches that have handed out more than 80,000 unemployment applications are reducing their distribution hours, but adding more paperwork that can help people get economic assistance.
The 26 participating branches will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day starting Friday, trimming earlier and later hours that had the least amount of demand, a county representative said.
Along with state unemployment forms, the branches will begin handing out applications for the federal food-assistance program called SNAP, as well as for Medicaid and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program known as TANF, Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Thursday in a video address.
BOSH FAMILY SENDS SWEET GIFT TO STAFF AT LOCAL HOSPITALS
3 p.m.: Last week, former Heat All-Star forward Chris Bosh and his family sent the staff at Memorial Regional Hospital’s ICU and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital’s emergency room sweet treats to thank them for working on the front line of the coronavirus battle.
Included in each delivery from “Ohh My Sweetness” was a cake, a box of 40-50 cookies, and 20 various flavors of tres leches.
”Our staff really enjoyed the delicious treats donated by the Bosh family,” Memorial Regional Hospital’s Haroula Norden said. “Tokens of appreciation like this really help lift the spirits of these caregivers who are working tirelessly with our patients and we are grateful for their thoughtfulness and generosity.”
GROUP OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS GET MIAMI-STYLE PARADE
2:05 p.m.: More than 40 faculty and staff members from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in seven teams honked their horns and banged on pots and pans as they cheered on the school’s seniors. Many of the students jumped up and down in delight when they saw their teachers for the first time since school doors closed on March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The festive caravan traveled 258 miles across Miami-Dade County Wednesday afternoon to swing by 188 homes and lift the spirits of the Class of 2020 at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy.
“We are hoping to bring them a little joy today. Our senior class has been the one to take the biggest hit. They are sad that their time together has been unfairly cut short,” said Olga Martinez, the school’s director of admissions, marketing and communications.
Gloria and Emilio Estefan were even part of the fun.
Read the full story here.
PATIENTS, STAFF AT MIAMI JEWISH HEALTH SENIOR CARE FACILITY TEST POSITIVE
1 p.m.: Miami Jewish Health confirmed this week that there were “employees and residents who have tested positive for COVID-19,” but did not specify the number of cases.
The senior care complex, 5200 NE Second Ave., offers residential, rehabilitation and day programs. According to Miami Jewish Health’s website, more than 1,200 physicians, nurses, caregivers and support staff serve over 10,000 clients a year.
Read the full story here.
WHEN WILL MIAMI-DADE PARKS REOPEN?
12:30 p.m.: The answer to that question is still to be determined. But the fact that coronavirus patients haven’t swamped Miami-Dade hospitals yet is a trend that’s helping Mayor Carlos Gimenez frame a plan to eventually ease restrictions on parks, marinas and other recreational activities.
Gimenez this week cited encouraging hospital trends in announcing his “Moving to a New Normal” initiative to create a strategy for lifting restrictions that closed businesses and restricted where residents could travel in public. “We’re seeing a light at the end of this COVID-19 tunnel, starting with the number of hospitalizations, which are steadying in Miami-Dade County,” he said in a video address Monday.
Read the full story here.
UPDATED FLORIDA NUMBERS
11:45 a.m.: On Thursday morning, Florida’s Department of Health confirmed 378 additional cases of COVID-19 as the state continues to inch closer to 23,000 confirmed cases. The state now has a total of 22,897 confirmed COVID-19 cases. There were 19 deaths announced, raising the toll to 633.
Miami-Dade County (8,131 confirmed COVID-19 cases) and Broward County (3,459 confirmed COVID-19 cases) combine to make up 50.6 percent of Florida’s confirmed case total.
Read the full update on Florida’s case numbers here. The state’s numbers will be updated again Thursday evening.
UM DOCTOR TO BEGIN STEM CELL TRIAL FOR CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS
10:50 a.m.: A team of doctors at the University of Miami won emergency federal approval to use stem cell therapy on patients suffering severe lung inflammation from COVID-19. The treatment will begin this week, starting with a dozen patients.
The UM Miller School of Medicine doctors are proposing to block the inflammation using an intravenous infusion of stem cells from umbilical cords, building on promising but limited results from a 10-patient study in China.
Read the full story here.
FLORIDA JOBLESS CLAIMS CONTINUE TO CLIMB
9:30 a.m.: Initial claims in the Sunshine State climbed to 181,293 this week. Combined with prior week totals, more than 650,000 Floridians are now out of work amid the coronavirus crisis.
Read the full story here.
MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES AT AMAZON WAREHOUSE IN MIAMI AREA
9:20 a.m.: An Opa-locka Amazon warehouse has reportedly become a hot spot for COVID-19 after three more workers tested positive, bringing the total there to eight, several employees told the Miami Herald this week. That brings the total to at least 10 positive cases of Amazon warehouse workers at Miami-Dade sites.
In less than two weeks, Amazon workers at the Opa-locka warehouse, 14000 NW 37th Ave., have been told through text message that eight employees had tested positive for COVID-19.
Read the full story here.
CATCH UP TO START THE DAY
9:10 a.m.: Here are the coronavirus headlines to catch you up on what’s happening around South Florida and the state as Thursday begins.
▪ Florida sees second day of fewer than 1,000 new coronavirus cases. Death toll passes 600
▪ ‘A delicate situation.’ Plans to reopen Florida begin as COVID-19 deaths top 600
▪ Miami-Dade superintendent: Return to school this year is ‘not only unlikely but imprudent’
▪ Frustrated DeSantis puts someone new in charge of fixing Florida unemployment system
▪ Inventory shrinking across South Florida just as the summer home-selling season begins
▪ Don Shula and former Dolphins team up to feed the hungry during coronavirus crisis
▪ Third coronavirus death reported at Pompano Beach nursing home, another is hospitalized
▪ Broward pianist latest to die of coronavirus after attending Winter Party Festival
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on April 16."
