Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on August 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.
Judge rejects stay in school opening case, but nothing changes for now
4:15 p.m.: Siding with teachers unions, a Leon County circuit judge Thursday lifted a stay of his earlier ruling that a state order requiring schools to reopen in August is unconstitutional.
Judge Charles Dodson on Monday issued a temporary injunction accusing Gov. Ron DeSantis, Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and other state education officials of ignoring the Florida Constitution by requiring school districts to resume face-to-face instruction this month amid the coronavirus pandemic. School districts risk losing state funding if they don’t comply with the emergency order, issued by Corcoran on July 6.
Attorneys for Corcoran and DeSantis immediately filed a notice of appealing Dodson’s ruling to the 1st District Court of Appeal.
Read the story here.
Florida adds 3,269 new COVID-19 cases as the death toll rises to more than 10,800
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11:25 a.m.: Florida’s Department of Health on Thursday confirmed 3,269 additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the state’s known total to 611,991. There were also 135 Florida resident deaths announced, bringing the resident death toll to 10,868.
There were four new non-resident deaths also announced, bringing the non-resident toll to 143.
Read the story here.
New Florida jobless applications fall to pandemic low — but U.S. stays over a million
10:20 a.m.: New applications for unemployment assistance hit another pandemic low in Florida last week — but total jobless claims for the rest of the U.S. remain stuck above 1 million, suggesting the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak continues.
For the week ending Aug. 22, Florida counted 45,723 new unemployment claims, a decrease from last week’s 72,774 count. It’s the second time in three weeks that the state figure has dipped to a new low since the onset of the pandemic. However, the new figure remains well above Florida’s pre-pandemic weekly count, which averaged about 5,000 claims.
Read the story here.
Sen. Rubio touts a new COVID technology in press release about his child’s school
8:45 a.m.: A press release pitching a “catch and kill” air filtration system to help schools reduce COVID-19 infection risk quoted Sen. Marco Rubio praising the technology and said the Republican lawmaker would be on hand to celebrate the system’s installation Thursday at True North Classical Academy, a charter school in Miami-Dade that one of his children attends.
But Rubio’s office said Thursday he won’t attend the event at the school. And the sitting senator isn’t endorsing the product, Rubio spokesman Nick Iacovella said in an email: “Senator Rubio cannot comment on any specific product, but he strongly supports schools using new technologies, strategies, and routines to help them reopen safely.”
Read the story here.
Four more hand sanitizers recalled as ‘toxic’
8:40 a.m.: V-Klean, Medically Minded, Zanilast + and Protz Real Protection Antibacterial hand sanitizers have been recalled for “toxic” methanol, ethanol levels or 1-propanol presence. The FDA Do Not Use list added four.
Read the story here.
CATCH UP TO START THE DAY
8:30 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 adds more than 3,200 coronavirus cases as death toll passes 10,700.
▪ After big debate over hugs, task force recommends limited nursing home visits.
▪ Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida will take President Donald Trump up on offer of $300 added unemployment benefit.
This story was originally published August 27, 2020 at 9:02 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on August 27."
