This post will be updated today, Thursday, April 23, 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 the coronavirus.
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QUICK UPDATES
Florida Cases Push Past 28,800 As Death Toll Hits 960
Updated Thursday, 11:40 a.m.
Florida’s Department of Health on Thursday morning confirmed 256 additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the state total of confirmed cases to 28,832. The statewide death toll is nearing 1,000, with 33 new deaths announced. The toll is now at 960.
Of the new deaths, 25 were in South Florida.
Eight people died in Miami-Dade County, bringing the county’s death toll to 260, the state’s highest count. Nine people died in Broward, raising the county’s toll to 156. Eight people died in Palm Beach County, raising the county’s toll to 143.
Additional details about the deaths was not immediately available.
Of the total statewide cases, 28,043 are Florida residents and 789 are non-residents who were diagnosed or isolated in the state.
Read more at our news partner, the Miami Herald.
— Michelle Marchante / Miami Herald
Free COVID-19 Retesting To Begin At Three Locations In Miami-Dade
Updated Thursday at 8 a.m.
Three COVID-19 testing sites in Miami-Dade County are accepting appointments for retesting starting Thursday.
The second round of testing is available for people who already tested positive for the virus and want to be tested again, according to an announcement by the Florida Department of Health.
Before this change in policy, people who wanted that second test to be cleared of the virus would have to seek COVID-19 testing from private healthcare providers. As of Thursday morning, 10,298 people have tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus in Miami-Dade County, according to the state's data.
Free retesting will begin on Friday at the Youth Fair site at Tamiami Park, the South Dade Government Center and Marlins Park, a spokeswoman for the agency told the Miami Herald.
To qualify, the person must be an adult from Miami-Dade County and have tested positive for COVID-19 more than two weeks ago.
Appointments are required. Those who are interested in scheduling a time to be retested should call 305-499-8767.
-Leslie Ovalle
