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.
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QUICK UPDATES
Florida Records More Than New 2,400 Cases After Quest Diagnostics Data ‘Dump’
Updated at 12:13 p.m.
Florida continues its downward trend in the daily number of newly reported cases after reporting more than 2,400 cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The report comes just a day after Quest Diagnostics revealed that it had delayed in reporting almost 75,000 testing results, going as far back as April.
The Florida Department of Health reported 2,402 new cases on Wednesday which is a significant drop from Tuesday’s number of new cases at 7,569. Now Florida has a total of 633,442 cases.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties make up 598 of the Florida’s newly reported cases. Monroe County only added four positive residents.
Out the more than 4.6 million people tested, 13.4 percent tested positive for the virus. Quest provides 22 percent of all the test results in Florida, according to a report from the Miami Herald.
The medical lab released a statement apologizing for the delayed results, clarifying that the data issue did not prevent them from giving test results to providers and patients.
As for coronavirus-related deaths, the total reached 11,501 after adding 127 new deaths.
— By Alyssa Ramos/ WLRN News
‘Urgent’ Request Sent To States In Push For Coronavirus Vaccine Delivery By Nov. 1
Updated Wednesday at 11:50 a.m.
Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sent a
letter last week to the nation’s governors with an urgent request. The Trump administration wanted them to do everything in their power to eliminate hurdles for vaccine distribution sites to be fully operational by Nov. 1.
The Aug. 27 letter, obtained by McClatchy, asked governors to fast-track permits and licenses for new distribution sites. “The normal time required to obtain these permits presents a significant barrier to the success of this urgent public health program,” Redfield wrote.
“CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities,” he continued, “and, if necessary, asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by November 1, 2020.”
Read more from our news partner at the Miami Herald.
— By Michael Wilner / The Miami Herald
Phase 2 Reopening Plan Could Begin Next Week In Palm Beach County
Updated Wednesday at 9:44 a.m.
Palm Beach County is almost certain to move to the next phase of COVID-19 reopening next week, but it won’t be enough for legions of angry residents who are fed up with any restrictions whatsoever.
County commissioners voted Tuesday to ask the governor to allow an “incremental” reopening that would occur over several months, which they say is justified by the ebb of COVID-19 cases in the county.
Movie theaters, bowling alleys and many other businesses would be allowed to reopen Tuesday, one day after Labor Day weekend. Those businesses would follow tattoo shops, body piercing businesses and tanning salons, which were allowed to reopen this past Monday.
Read more from our news partner atthe Sun Sentinel.
— By Wells Dusenbury / The Sun Sentinel
