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 Cases Jump Above 900,000 Mark As Florida Adds More Than 7,900 New Cases
Updated Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Florida surpassed 900,000 positive cases of COVID-19 as Florida’s Department of Health confirmed an additional 7,925 cases of COVID-19 Wednesday. Florida has a total of 905,248 confirmed positive cases, according to the state's health department.
Wednesday's update also included the announcement of 87 new resident deaths, increasing the statewide number of Floridians who died to 17,731. Factoring in non-resident deaths the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 is 17,949.
Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties make up 6,980 of those reported deaths. Monroe County has reported 25 deaths due to COVID-19.
— WLRN News
Secret COVID-19 Meetings Will Be Opened Up For Review, New Broward Mayor Says
Updated Wednesday at 8:00 a.m.
Broward’s mayors no longer will be meeting privately to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, the newly appointed county mayor said Tuesday, vowing to open the talks up for public review.
Steve Geller, who was sworn in as county mayor Tuesday, pledged to open up meetings in which hospital executives and health officials often discuss the state of the pandemic with dozens of mayors across the county. “I see absolutely no reason why they shouldn’t be open to the media,” Geller said Tuesday.
In past months, the COVID-related talks have touched on a range of issues, such as beach openings, curfews, mask rules, restaurant hours and business restrictions, as well as updates from medical leaders about the COVID infection statistics and state of the area hospitals to deal with it all. Broward’s mayors can ask questions and come to a consensus about what the next steps should be, and even criticize the county
— By Lisa J. Huriash / The South Florida Sun Sentinel
Read more from our news partner at The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
COVID-19 Resurgence Could Worsen With Thanksgiving Travel, Health Director Warns
Updated Wednesday at 7:48 a.m.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise and Thanksgiving coming up next week, South Florida health officials are urging families to keep their holiday travel and gatherings to a minimum.
“I’m very concerned with the holidays,” said Dr. Alina Alonso, Palm Beach County’s health department director. “I’m very concerned that so many people are going to be traveling.”
Alonso is among the health officials across the country who are trying to ward off a holiday-fueled surge in COVID-19 cases. The key measures of the country’s effectiveness in managing the pandemic are heading in the wrong direction. Hospitalizations, deaths and cases are all rising across the U.S.
— By Austen Erblat / The South Florida Sun Sentinel
Read more from our news partner at The South Florida Sun Sentinel.