Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on September 3
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.
After collapsing in the spring due to COVID-19, remittances to Latin America bounce back
4:55 p.m.: Springtime job losses and pay cuts in South Florida’s immigrant communities meant many local immigrants had to stop sending money to relatives in their homelands.
In April, after the coronavirus outbreak snowballed into a global pandemic, the World Bank projected remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean would drop by a nearly 20% this year — the sharpest decline in recent history.
But as the Miami metropolitan area and other U.S. regions with significant Latin American populations emerged from COVID-19 lockdowns, remittance flows have started ticking back up. That’s the takeaway from a new Pew Research Center study, which analyzed data from six Latin American nations’ central banks.
Read the story here.
Florida jobless applications hit another pandemic low. Is it an early sign of recovery?
3:20 p.m.: New weekly applications for unemployment assistance in Florida hit another pandemic low last week, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday.
Jobless claims for the week ending Aug. 29 fell from 51,647 in the week before to 39,335. The decline likely reflects several factors, including the termination of $600 in weekly federal pandemic unemployment assistance, in addition to early signs of an economic recovery.
Florida’s day-to-day COVID-19 numbers bump up a bit, with 3,571 new cases, 149 deaths
11:55 a.m.: On Thursday, the Florida Department of Health added 3,571 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 149 deaths, a bit more on both numbers compared to Wednesday. The number of non-resident deaths grew by three to 150.
Read the story here.
Art Basel Miami Beach has been canceled this year because of COVID-19
8 a.m.: The organizers of the annual Art Basel Miami Beach fair, a key cultural and economic event for the region, announced Wednesday they have canceled this year’s edition because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a brief statement, Art Basel officials said they had little choice given the continued uncertainty over the pandemic’s course, international travel restrictions and quarantine regulations across the country and abroad. The fair had been scheduled to take place Dec. 3-6 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The Art Miami Show Group has also officially canceled the 2020 editions of Art Miami, CONTEXT Art Miami and Aqua Art Miami due to “continuing concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic.” The fairs will return during Miami Art Week in December 2021, organizers said in an announcement Wednesday.
Travel to and from Miami caused too much concern. The show will be replaced with a virtual event.
“We are excited to launch MIAMI ART CITY, our cutting-edge, high quality online acquisition rooms, offering participating galleries networking and commercial opportunities with a wide array of collectors, art world luminaries, curators, designers and art enthusiasts,” Executive Vice President and Director Nick Korniloff said in a statement.
Read the story here.
Publix Charities donation to Feeding South Florida
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7:15 a.m.: Publix Charities presented Feeding South Florida with a $300,000 donation to kick off Hunger Action Month in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are incredibly grateful to Publix Charities for its generous donation to help us continue to serve an estimated 1.4 million individuals facing food insecurity in Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties,” said Feeding South Florida President and CEO Paco Velez in a statement. “This donation comes at a critical time, when the demand for food has increased significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Publix Charities understands that more families are turning to Feeding South Florida to help put food on their tables.”
CATCH UP TO START THE DAY
7 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’s COVID cases resume lower trend, with 2,402 new infections, a day after testing ‘dump.’
▪ Miami says it didn’t know Liberty City man lived there before demolishing his home during a pandemic. Is the city lying?
This story was originally published September 3, 2020 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on September 3."
