Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on June 27
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.
Monroe County suspends destination tourism advertising
6:30 p.m.: The Monroe County Tourist Development Council is temporarily suspending paid destination advertising starting July 1.
County officials had made concerns about “dramatic increases” in COVID-19 cases in the Florida Keys.
“We are pausing our advertising efforts for about two weeks in an abundance of caution to monitor infection and potential hospitalization rates,” said Tourism Development Council Director Stacey Mitchell in a statement. “We’ll regroup with county officials shortly before that period ends to discuss the situation and plan accordingly.”
The decision to halt advertising comes after the Keys reopened to tourists on June 1 and saw 94 new cases since then.
Miami-Dade commissioner hands out supplies in Little Havana
5:30 p.m.: Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins and volunteers put together 2,000 education packets with reusable masks for at-risk residents in Little Havana hot spots that have seen coronavirus surges.
The packets included novel coronavirus information in English and Spanish and five reusable mask.
“We have lots of people living in very, very small apartment buildings, so social distancing can be difficult,” Higgins said of Little Havana, where she said the county has seen a surge of cases. “We need to spread the word in these neighborhoods very quickly that they’re in a neighborhood where they need to be more careful than they even already are.”
Read the full story here.
How long does coronavirus stay in air and on surfaces? These calculators can estimate
4:15 p.m.: The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate has developed online calculators to estimate how long the coronavirus will stay on surfaces and in the air depending on weather conditions.
The surface decay calculator estimates the half-life of the virus based on the temperature and relative humidity. It also explains when 99.99% of the virus will be decayed.
“It’ll calculate the half-life of the virus and now that’s very important because the half life of the virus frankly means that if 1,000 elements of the virus is deposited on a surface, the half life means in that certain period of time that the calculator will tell you, half will be decayed in that period of time,” Acting Undersecretary William Bryan told WGNO.
Read the full story here.
July 4th beach shutdown targets ‘those who are being the most irresponsible,’ mayor says
3:40 pm.: Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who announced he would sign an order closing beaches over the Fourth of July weekend, said the decision focuses on young adults who would violate social distancing rules and create a holiday spike in coronavirus cases.
“I could foresee a Fourth of July where you had throngs of people on the beach, very difficult to keep social distancing, people getting together, especially young people getting together,” Gimenez said Saturday at a mask distribution site in Miami. “And we know that this virus is prevalent in that age group.”
Gimenez spoke at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium on West Flagler Street, where County Commissioner Eileen Higgins was deploying a “rapid response team” to hand out masks and COVID-19 informational packets to Little Havana residents in coronavirus hotspots.
Read the full story here.
How can high school and college students fill their summer? We’ve got loads of ideas
3:15 p.m.: Zachary Tabatchnikoff was looking forward to working with 9th- and 10th-graders at a Wisconsin summer leadership camp this summer.
But when the pandemic led to the camp being canceled, Tabatchnikoff, 19, was left finding ways to salvage his summer.
He had already spent about eight weeks of his first year in college at home and knew he couldn’t do nothing for several more months.
“I felt like a sloth,” he said. “I needed a schedule, something to keep me busy.”
Tabatchnikoff is not alone. With the pandemic canceling camps, limiting volunteer hours and reducing the amount of jobs available, teens across South Florida are trying to find ways to be productive, earn money or clock volunteer hours.
Read the full story here.
Leaders shut off the Florida Keys to visitors for weeks. Now, COVID-19 cases are rising
2:30 p.m.: Three weeks ago, the Florida Keys had an empty feeling.
Shops were shut. Restaurants had a few locals. And two checkpoints blocked tourists from entering the island chain.
The COVID-19 rate also was low. With visitors shut out, Keys leaders hoped the virus would be, too.
Fast-forward to now, and many tourists are back. They’re spreading out on the beaches, filling the restaurants — at least to the new limited capacity — and strolling Duval Street.
The coronavirus numbers are up, too. In the past two weeks, 81 cases have been added to the Keys total. The prior two-week period saw 13 additional cases.
Could the reopening of the island chain be affecting the coronavirus infection rate?
Read the full story here.
‘You should be in a psych ward.’ Anti-maskers get heated at Palm Beach commission meeting
1:30 p.m.: Pedophiles. 5G. Religion. Bill Gates. Underwear.
Those were just some of the topics that anti-maskers mentioned Tuesday to criticize Palm Beach County’s potential facial coverings mandate at a county commission meeting. Commissioners ultimately enacted the order, but the scene leading up to the final vote seemed right out of a movie script.
“I don’t wear a mask for the same reason I don’t wear underwear,” said a woman who identified herself as Beth and whose last name couldn’t be made out on a video of the meeting. “Things got to breathe.”
Read the full story here.
Florida reports 9,585 new coronavirus cases, setting a daily record in statewide surge
1 p.m.: Florida’s Department of Health on Saturday confirmed 9,585 additional cases of COVID-19, surpassing Friday’s record-breaking 8,942 cases.
The new cases brings the state total of confirmed cases to 132, 545.
There were also 24 new deaths announced Saturday, bringing the statewide death toll to 3,390.
Read the full story here.
New Miami Beach walk-up testing site
12:20 p.m.: Beginning Sunday, the state will operate a mobile coronavirus walk-up testing site at 12th Street and Washington Avenue (by Miami Beach Police headquarters).
There will be 400 free tests available each day between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The site is walk-up only and no appointments are necessary.
Tests will offered to anyone over 18.
Meanwhile, both active virus COVID-19 and antibody tests continue to be available at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 17th Street and Convention Center Drive.
The site, which is available for drive-through or walk-up COVID-19 tests from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, now has a daily capacity of 1,200 tests.
Drive-through antibody testing is offered daily from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. with a capacity of 300 tests a day.
For more information visit the city’s coronavirus page.
House parties are ‘the most dangerous things,’ a South Florida mayor tells his city
11:35 a.m.: Pinecrest Mayor Joseph Corradino called out his city’s “largest problem” in a statement to the community this week — private house parties.
“These are the most dangerous things that impact our community,” he wrote in a Thursday letter to the community. “The law does not enable us to enforce the rules we use on public spaces on private property. So, our current option is to appeal to the common sense and decency of our citizens. This danger comes directly from within.”
Corradino said parties have become “prevalent” in recent weeks.
Read the full story here.
Belen priest asked graduates to take off masks to sing. That was edited out of video.
11 a.m.: During the Belen Jesuit Preparatory School’s graduation Mass June 15, school president Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón asked the congregation to remove their masks to sing a song in prayer.
“I invite you all to please stand together with me,” he said. “I know that we’re supposed to be wearing our masks but I’m going to ask you to take it off for this song. You can put it on afterwards.”
That two-hour Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Doral was streamed live and uploaded to YouTube. A day later, the same video was uploaded with García-Tuñón’s request edited out, replaced with a conspicuous jump cut.
Read the full story here.
Fort Lauderdale COVID-19 compliance checks
10:30 a.m.: On Friday night, inspectors from Fort Lauderdale’s Community Enhancement and Compliance Division showed up unannounced at various business to check for compliance to COVID-19 guidelines.
Among the things inspectors were looking for: Patrons and employees were wearing facial coverings; businesses didn’t exceed the 50 percent maximum capacity rule and patrons weren’t congregating at bars,.
The business that were in compliance were: YOLO, Big City Tavern, American Social, Loui Bossi’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria, El Camino, Red Door Asian Bistro & Hibachi, Casa Sensei Hollywood Brewery, Macabi Havana Lounge, Café Europa, and Kaluz.
There were several that did not meet the guidelines and faced fines and closure. Those businesses will be checked again Saturday.
Here’s a look at those businesses:
▪ Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar, 740 E. Las Olas Blvd., was shut down and fined $250 because bar establishments could not reopen in Phase 1.
▪ Noodles Panini, 821 E Las Olas Blvd., was fined $250 for using the bar area.
▪ Piazza Italia, 904 E. Las Olas Blvd., was fined $15,000 and shut down for using the bar area.
▪ Original Fat Cats, 320 SW Second St., was fined $250 and shut down for having a large crowd with no social distancing or signage.
▪ Poorhouse, 110 SW Third Ave., was fined $250 amd shut down for having a large crowd with no social distancing or signage.
▪ Lucky’s Tavern, 214 SW Third Ave., was fined $250 and shut down because bar establishments can’t be open during Phase 1.
▪ Café Del Mar, 101 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., was fined $250 and shut down because people weren’t wearing facial coverings or social distancing and there were no signs posted.
Here’s Heat’s schedule in Orlando. And Heat players weigh in on the team’s chances
9:50 a.m.: As a result of the NBA’s COVID-forced shutdown, no playoff team lost out on playing more games against NBA retreads than the Heat.
So instead of closing the season with heavy doses of the Knicks, Hornets, Pistons, and Bulls - which was the pre-pandemic plan - Miami instead faces a daunting schedule in its attempt to hold onto the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Heat’s eight-game schedule of seeding games, to be played over 14 days, begins with Denver at 1 p.m. Aug. 1, a Saturday, and includes two games against Indiana and also single games against Milwaukee, Toronto, Boston, Oklahoma City and Phoenix.
Read the full story here.
Miami-Dade beaches, most parades will be closed and canceled for July 4 weekend, mayor says
9:15 a.m.: Going to the beach and seeing parades for the Fourth of July won’t be an option in Miami-Dade County, as Mayor Carlos Gimenez will be signing an order to close all beaches and ban large gatherings during the holiday weekend.
On Friday night, Gimenez said in a statement that he will be signing an emergency order on Saturday that will close all Miami-Dade beaches starting July 3 and ending July 7.
The closure may be extended depending on whether conditions do not improve and people do not follow the “new normal” rules requiring the wearing of masks inside and outside if social distancing can’t be followed.
Read the full story here.
Florida’s runaway covid spike hits record high. Governor refuses to mandate masks.
9:05 a.m.: The runaway surge of COVID-19 infections engulfing Florida reached unnerving heights on Friday as the state and nation reported the highest single day of new cases for the second time in a record week. With more than half of all states reporting increases in new cases, the White House Coronavirus Task Force, delivering its first briefing in months, renewed calls for Americans to be vigilant.
In Miami-Dade, the county with the most COVID-19 cases and deaths in the state, record numbers of patients with the disease continued to strain local hospitals. The mayor ordered beaches closed for the Fourth of July in response to the crisis, and local health officials warned of yet another contagion re-emerging in the region: West Nile virus, which is spread by mosquitoes.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, speaking at a news conference in Fort Myers, appeared fatigued and combative as he explained why he will not order Floridians to wear face coverings in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 as public health experts have urged.
Read the full story here.
Catch up to start the day
9 a.m.: Here are the coronavirus headlines to catch you up on what’s happening around South Florida and the state as Saturday begins.
▪ Miami officials have a few models for reopening schools. It’s up to parents to decide.
▪ Of course, the coronavirus pandemic may complicate Miami-Dade’s West Nile problem
▪ With 100 pages of protocols in place, MLB is working to ‘stay nimble’ as season nears
▪ Brace for insurance shock: Windstorm premiums are soaring in Florida again
▪ Key West cancels July 4 fireworks due to COVID-19 fears. The city’s mask law also got tougher
▪ ‘We are where we are.’ Florida’s window to act on virus growth is closing, experts say
▪ COVID costs Florida a 31% dip in sales tax revenue in May
▪ A lap dance with a masked stripper? What strip clubs are like in the coronavirus age
▪ 2 in Homestead are first female Florida prisoners to die of COVID-19, after 21 male fatalities
▪ Last call for a while? Florida suspends drinking at bars amid surging virus caseload
▪ Florida confirms nearly 9,000 coronavirus cases in a single day, a new record
▪ More days of darkness, heat: Florida hurricane recovery won’t be fast in the time of COVID-19
This story was originally published June 27, 2020 at 9:23 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on June 27."
