WLRN staff continues to add to community resource lists, including this articleon where kids and families can get food while schools are closed, and this postabout whether and where to get tested for coronavirus.
The dedicated website for the Florida Department of Health, including information about symptoms and numbers of cases, can be found here.
The dedicated website from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found here.
To receive WLRN's coronavirus updates newsletter on Wednesdays and Saturdays, sign up here.
QUICK UPDATES
Florida COVID Cases Now Top 620,000, No New Deaths In Broward, Palm Beach Or Monroe
The Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19’s dashboard reported 2,583 cases Sunday, pushing the pandemic total to 621,586.
Of the 14 deaths reported by the state, moving that total to 11,263, only four come from South Florida and all were in Miami-Dade.
Also, the positive test rates of both the state and each of South Florida’s counties continues to fall. The state’s average daily positive test rate for Aug. 23-29 was 5.7%, a 24% drop from the 7.5% average daily positive rate of Aug. 16-22.
Read more from our news partner the Miami Herald.
-David J. Neal/Miami Herald
Broward Starts Fining People For Not Wearing Masks
Updated Friday at 5:50 p.m.
Starting Friday, Broward County will issue fines to people who don't wear a mask or a facial covering.
They will be issued by law enforcement or code enforcement officers. The citations vary but will start at $100.
The county had the ability to fine people over masks in an existing emergency order, but leaders were focused on getting businesses to comply.
While Broward works to slow the spread of COVID-19, county beaches will stay open during Labor Day weekend.
— Caitie Switalski/WLRN News
FIU Publishes Online Tool With Limited Information On COVID-19 Cases On Its Campuses
Updated Friday at 11:02 a.m.
The fall semester at Florida International University began Monday, but its community won’t know how many students, faculty and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 until next Monday.
Earlier this week, the Miami-based public university published an online web page with a chart that provides weekly tallies of confirmed cases among students, faculty and staff, on and off campus.
The most recent data is from Aug. 17 to Aug. 23 — 14 reported cases in all. So far, seven students living or learning on campus, three students learning remotely, one faculty/staff working remotely and three faculty/staff working remotely have tested positive.
Read more from our news partner at The Miami Herald.
— By Jimena Tavel / The Miami Herald
‘Game Changer?’ Florida Eyes Rapid And Sensitive Coronavirus Test That Just Hit Market
Updated Friday at 7:30 a.m.
A new COVID-19 test approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday could dramatically improve and expand rapid testing for the disease in Florida, according to the state’s testing czar.
It’s unclear when they will be available. The U.S. is purchasing 150 million of the tests at a cost of $750 million, President Trump announced Thursday, a move that will boost the nation’s capacity for rapid testing.
But Jared Moskowitz, the state’s emergency manager, said they will change the testing landscape in Florida.
Read more from our news partner at The Miami Herald.
— By Ben Conarck and Daniel Chang / The Miami Herald
Here Are The New Rules Of The Playground In Palm Beach County
Updated Friday at 6:48 a.m.
Palm Beach County-run playgrounds and recreational facilities, which have been closed since March due to the coronavirus, are now open for use with some restrictions.
That includes water fountains, campgrounds, skate parks, sports facilities and adult sports leagues.
According to county guidelines:
- Skate parks and bicycle tracks may be open with supervision, which is up to park management.
- All park playgrounds, water playgrounds, play and exercise equipment may be open.
- Water fountains may be open.
- Volleyball courts may be open.
- Campgrounds may begin taking reservations for stays on or after Oct. 1.
- Supervised sports facilities with lights may be open after sunset.
- Adult sports activities and leagues are permitted.
Read more from our news partner at The Sun Sentinel.
— By Brooke Baitinger / Sun Sentinel
