This post will be updated today, Monday, July 13, and through the week 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
Key West Tightens Mask Rules — Required Whenever You're Away From Home
Updated Monday at 2:30 p.m.
The city of Key West on Monday amended its rule on face coverings to require everyone over the age of 6 to wear a mask whenever they are away from home, regardless of social distancing.
The move was a response to the sharp increase in reported numbers of cases of COVID-19, in the state and locally. On Saturday, 74 new cases were reported in Monroe County, more than twice the previous one-day record. About 45 percent of the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the Keys so far have been in the ZIP code that includes Key West and part of the Lower Keys.
Key West has about a third of the population of the entire Florida Keys, but is the major tourist destination on the island chain.
-Nancy Klingener/WLRN News
Statewide Coronavirus Cases Surpass 280,000 Mark
Updated Monday at 11:30 a.m.
Florida surpassed 280,000 positive cases of COVID-19 as Florida’s Department of Health confirmed an additional 12,624 cases of COVID-19 on Monday. Florida has a total of 282,435 confirmed positive cases, according to the state's health department.
Monday's update also included the announcement of 35 new deaths, increasing the statewide number to 4,277. Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties make up 2,218 of those reported deaths. Monroe County has reported six deaths due to COVID-19.
— WLRN News
Younger Patients At Jackson Memorial Have COVID-19 Plus Other Diseases
Updated Monday at 5 a.m.
Roughly 20 ICU beds remain at Jackson Memorial, the main hospital of the Jackson Health System. It hasn’t run out of bed space, but more nurses have been sent to work there by the state, because of the patient uptick. Those new patients are younger and not always coming in because of COVID-19 alone.
Roy Hawkins Jr. is Jackson Memorial’s chief executive officer. He says the hospital has set up COVID positive units specifically designated for coronavirus patients.
Many of these patients are younger but also sicker. They have other diseases, like diabetes or COPD. That’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. And that, plus the coronavirus, brings them in for care.
“During the time when the city was shut down and everyone was quarantined, I don't think folks were really taking the best care of themselves,” he said.
He adds that they may have stopped going for checkups or taking their medication. And now COVID-19 has made them gravely ill.
Still, Dr. David de la Zerda, ICU medical director at Jackson, wants young people to know that even without other diseases, COVID is serious.
“Young people need to understand that they can get sick and they can die from COVID-19.”
— Verónica Zaragovia / WLRN News