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
Statewide Coronavirus Cases Increase By 6,257 Resident, Death Toll Pushes Closer To 17,000
Updated Thursday at 12:52 p.m.
Florida surpassed 820,000 positive cases of COVID-19 as Florida’s Department of Health confirmed an additional 6,257 cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
Florida now has a total of 827,380 confirmed positive cases, according to the state's health department.
Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Broward counties make up 2,657 of the newly reported cases. Monroe County added 51 new cases overall.
Thursday’s update also included the announcement of 39 new resident deaths, increasing the statewide number of Floridians who died to 16,961.
— By WLRN News
Most Teachers Ordered To Return To School Despite COVID-19 Fears
Updated Thursday at 7:00 a.m.
Thousands of Broward teachers who have been working from home due to concerns over COVID-19 are being ordered to return to their classrooms.
The school district received requests from about 5,000 teachers — a third of the work force — for accommodations to work remotely, but only about 800 are being approved, Superintendent Robert Runcie told the School Board Wednesday. The district had allowed most to teach from home since schools opened Oct. 9 while they awaited a decision.
The district gave priority to teachers who have health conditions that put them at high risk for serious illness or death should they get infected with COVID-19, such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
— By Scott Travis / The South Florida Sun Sentinel
Read more from our news partner at The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Sick Students’ Siblings Are Being Sent Home, Too, In PBC Public Schools
Updated Thursday at 6:45 a.m.
When sick students are sent home with flu-like symptoms in Palm Beach County public schools, their siblings will have to go with them.
A new school district policy states that any student living with another who has been asked to stay home or be tested for COVID-19 also must stay home.
“Any other students attending face-to-face instruction in any District-operated school that resides in the same home as the student exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms will be sent home with the parent/guardian and assigned to Distance Learning,” the new rule states.
— By Andrew Marra/ The Palm Beach Post
Read more from our news partner at The Palm Beach Post.