This post will be updated today, Thursday, June 4, with the latest information on COVID-19 in South Florida.
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WLRN staff continues to add to community resource lists, including this article on where kids and families can get food while schools are closed, and this post about 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 Jump Above 60,000
Updated Thursday at noon
Florida surpassed 60,000 positive cases of COVID-19 as Florida’s Department of Health confirmed an additional 1,419 cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. Florida has a total of 60,183 confirmed positive cases, according to the state's health department.
Thursday's update also included the announcement of 41 new deaths, increasing the statewide number to 2,607. Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties make up 1,434 of those reported deaths. Monroe County has reported four deaths due to COVID-19.
-WLRN News
Phase II Reopening Starts Friday, But Not For South Florida
Updated Thursday at 7 a.m.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced yesterday Phase II of reopening Florida, which starts Friday. Movie theaters and bars are allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity, and tattoo shops are allowed to accept appointments. Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County are excluded from Friday’s second phase of reopening. South Florida continues to have the highest percentage of COVID-19 cases.
- Sherrilyn Cabrera/WLRN News
Antibody Testing Will Be Available At More South Florida Sites
Updates Thursday at 7 a.m.
Free antibody testing for the novel coronavirus will be coming to more South Florida sites for anyone 18 years or older.
Starting Thursday, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, the Miami Beach Convention Center and FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches will be offering free antibody testing, which was only offered to first responders, said Mike Jachles, spokesman for the testing sites.
“We’ve had a lot of people ask for these tests and now the division can offer them to anyone 18 and up,” Jachles said.
At all three sites in order to get tested one must show an ID proving they are 18 or older. The Miami Beach location will be offering 80 antibody tests a day, Hard Rock will have 125 tests per day and the ballpark will have about 40 tests per day.
To read more, visit our news partner at the Miami Herald.
- Devoun Cetoute/Miami Herald