Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Florida on October 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.
Company sued by Orlando nurses also shorted COVID-19 workers $3 million in pay, feds say
4:10 p.m.: A healthcare staffing company with at least one state of Florida contract missed payrolls and owed COVID-19 testers in Orlando over $3 million in back pay, the U.S. Department of Labor said.
A lawsuit by eight Orlando area nurses say they’ve had a similar experience in getting earned money from Favorite Healthcare Systems.
Favorite, in a Tuesday email to the Miami Herald, said Labor’s announcement “contained inaccurate and misleading information” and the company “contacted multiple people at the (Department of Labor) requesting a retraction.”
Read the story here.
Miami immigration court to reopen its doors Monday as COVID cases soar in Florida
1:35 p.m.: The Miami immigration courthouse will reopen Monday more than six months after shutting it doors and as COVID cases continue to rise in the state.
In an announcement Thursday, the Executive Office for Immigration Review,a sub-agency of the United States Department of Justice whose chief function is to conduct deportation proceedings in immigration courts, said the government will resume in-person hearings. Face masks will be required in all waiting rooms, corridors and courtrooms, the statement said.
Read the story here.
Florida adds 3,356 coronavirus cases, the most reported since last month
1 p.m.: Florida’s Department of Health on Thursday confirmed 3,356 additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the state’s known total to 744,988. Also, 141 resident deaths were announced, bringing the resident death toll to 15,736.
Three new non-resident deaths were also announced, bringing the non-resident toll to 196.
Thursday’s single-day case count is the most Florida has reported since Sept. 19, when 3,573 cases were added. Testing also saw some increase.
Read the story here.
11 more Miami-Dade schools employees among confirmed COVID-19 cases, dashboard shows
10:55 a.m.: Miami-Dade County Public Schools has confirmed nearly 30 COVID-19 cases since schools reopened for in-person learning last week, according to the school district’s COVID-19 dashboard. The increase comes after 11 employees were added to the dashboard Thursday morning, bringing the confirmed employee count to 13.
No new student cases were added, leaving the student count at 14.
The employees could be teachers, custodians, or cafeteria and office workers.
Read the story here.
Hundreds of tombstones fill Liberty City park in honor of those lost to COVID-19
9:25 a.m: Five-hundred plastic tombstones filled a Liberty City park Wednesday, showing only a fraction of the lives taken in Miami-Dade from COVID-19.
“We chose Liberty City for the memorial cemetery because this pandemic has also exposed inequities that make Black people and other people of color more vulnerable to COVID-19, many of whom are frontline workers who do not have the luxury of working from home,” said Congresswoman Frederica Wilson at a solemn morning ceremony Wednesday.
Wilson, who partnered with the Circle of Brotherhood, Miami-Dade County Commission Chairwoman Audrey Edmonson and other local elected officials, said the memorial — located at Simonhoff Park, 1850 NW 54th St. — was a way for the community to “collectively grieve.” She said her office has been flooded with calls from people who have lost family members.
Read the story here.
CATCH UP TO START THE DAY
9:20 a.m.: Here are the coronavirus headlines to catch you up on what’s happening around South Florida and the state as Thursday begins.
▪ Coral Park Elementary reopens after students, employee test positive for COVID-19.
▪ More than 45 COVID cases among staff at Broward schools. One student tests positive.
▪ Florida adds 2,725 COVID-19 cases, and more than 100 new deaths push toll past 15,500.
This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 10:07 AM.
