Tracking coronavirus: Florida reports highest single-day jump in COVID-19 deaths

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ORLANDO, Fla. - Below is a log of the day's events as it relates to the global coronavirus pandemic.

2:30 p.m. -- Governor DeSantis spoke about coronavirus at a briefing held with the U.S. Secretary of Labor in Jacksonville.

Governor DeSantis gives an update from Jacksonville

The Governor was joined by the US Secretary of Labor.

2:00 p.m. -- A group of medical experts and leaders have assigned coronavirus risk levels to various activities, like going to a theme park or eating at a restaurant. See the chart of activities HERE.

1:00 p.m. -- Despite President Donald Trump's sharp criticism, federal guidelines for reopening schools are not being revised, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Read more HERE.

12:50 p.m. -- Orange County leaders will reopen the CARES application portal next week for residents to apply for $1,000 stimulus checks. How to apply HERE.

12:00 p.m. -- The City of Orlando is opening another free mobile COVID-19 drive-thru and pedestrian-accessible testing site. It will open on Wednesday, July 15 at Audubon Park K-8 School Parking Lot, 1500 Falcon Drive. The operating hours are between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and appointments are required but there is no criteria for symptoms.

12:00 p.m. -- As some states throughout the U.S. combat a surge in confirmed coronavirus cases, lawmakers are still considering several stimulus options to give Americans some financial relief. Details HERE.

11:00 a.m. -- On Thursday, the Florida Department of Health reported another 8,935 cases of coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 232,718. There have been 120 more deaths, with a total of 4009 in Florida.

The number of deaths announced Thursday was the highest since the 113 reported in early May. The cumulative death toll has now surpassed 4,000 as confirmed cases climbed by nearly 9,000 to more than 229,000.

The state also reported on Thursday the biggest 24-hour jump in hospitalizations, with more than 400 patients being admitted.

10:00 a.m. -- The testing site at the Orange County Convention Center has no line and the wait time is under two hours. They anticipate wait times will decrease even more throughout the day.

9:00 a.m. -- More than 1.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, a historically high pace that shows that many employers are still laying people off in the face of a resurgent coronavirus.

7:45 a.m. -- As coronavirus cases rise, ICU beds around the country are filling up. Local hospitals say they're making plans in case more space is needed. On Thursday, AdventHealth shared an update on their own plans.

7:00 a.m. -- Is it safe to visit the dentist during the COVID-19 pandemic? Dentists can’t eliminate all risk, but they are taking steps to minimize the chances of spreading the coronavirus. Read more HERE.

6:00 a.m. -- Volusia County will distribute more than 200,000 face masks on Thursday to help protect residents from the coronavirus. List of locations HERE.

5:30 a.m. -- One Florida teacher isn't too keen on reopening schools. She started a petition to try and stop in-person classes until the pandemic is contained. The petition is signed by parents and teachers who say they just don't feel safe sending their children back to school in-person.

5:15 a.m. -- Walt Disney World has announced it will resume the selling of new theme-park tickets and allow new hotel reservations for dates in the 2020 calendar year, beginning on Thursday, July 9. Details HERE.

4:45 a.m. -- As hospitals monitor admissions and COVID-19 cases, they are also watching their ICU bed count. The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) oversees Medicaid in the state of Florida. According to the agency's website, there are ICU beds available in Central Florida, but hospitals are keeping a close eye on the situation as coronavirus cases soar. Read more HERE.

4:00 a.m. -- The Florida Department of Health reported another 9,989 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total to 223,783. The death toll is up to 3,889, an increase of 48 more people who have died. The next update will happen around 11 a.m. Thursday.

American Academy of Pediatrics says kids need to return to school

The American Academy of Pediatrics says kids need to be physically present in school in the fall. Dr. Candice Jones weighs in.

Phase two of Florida's reopening is ongoing. The following is in effect:

Restaurants can now allow bar-top seating with appropriate social distancing.
Bars and pubs can now operate with 50 percent capacity indoors and full capacity outside as long as appropriate social distancing is followed. Only seated patrons can receive service.
Retail stores can now operate at full capacity with responsible social distancing and sanitization protocols.
Gyms can now operate at full capacity as well with appropriate social distancing and frequent sanitization.
Entertainment businesses, like movie theaters, concert houses, auditoriums, playhouses, bowling alleys and arcades, can operate at 50 percent with appropriate social distancing and sanitization protocols.
Personal services businesses, including but not limited to tattoo parlors, acupuncture establishments, tanning salons, and massage establishments, may operate with guidance from the Florida Department of Health.
Pari-mutuel betting facilities can submit a request to reopen to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The request must include an endorsement from their county mayor or county administrator if there is no mayor.

Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach -- which are the counties that got hit the heaviest by coronavirus in Florida -- will remain in phase one for the time being. When ready, they can seek approval from their county mayor or county administrator to enter phase two.

Aerial view of Disney World welcoming back passholders

Disney World reopened to annual passholders Thursday. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopen to the public on Saturday.

Coronavirus can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land on objects and surfaces. Others can then contract the virus by touching these objects or surfaces, then their eyes, nose or mouth.

As stated before, symptoms of the coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of breath. They may show in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure, the Florida Department of Health says. Most people recover from COVID-19 without special treatment, but the elderly and those with underlying medical problems are more likely to develop serious illness.

Summer travel plans and COVID-19

Increased cases of coronavirus have not impacted summer vacation planning as it relates to domestic getaways. Travelers are also more aware of cancellation policies, discounts, and new safety measures.

If you display coronavirus symptoms, you should contact a local health organization and make them aware of your condition prior to arrival while also following specific instructions or guidelines they may have.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 and let them know if you have been infected or believe that you may be. If you are infected, a medical professional or another authority will likely advise that you remain isolated while sick. This includes staying at home and not going into public places or large events.

Please visit the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage for information and guidance regarding COVID-19 in Florida.

ICU beds filling up across Florida due to coronavirus pandemic

As the coronavirus numbers rise in Florida, hospitals are seeing ICU bed capacity shrinking, but officials say the numbers do not tell the full story about how prepared health care centers are for n wave of new patients.

For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-(866) 779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours a day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

Globally, there have been over 12 million COVID-19 cases, resulting in over 550,000 deaths, according to John Hopkins University.

Below is an interactive John Hopkins University dashboard, showing a country-by-country breakdown of positive COVID-19 cases across the world.

MOBILE USERS: Click here to view the interactive John Hopkins University dashboard

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