Tracking Coronavirus: Florida cases jump by 1,419 in last 24 hours, phase 2 of reopening begins Friday
ORLANDO, Fla. - Below is a log of the day's events as it relates to the global coronavirus pandemic.
5:00 a.m. -- Movie theater chain AMC warned Wednesday that it may not survive the coronavirus pandemic, which has shuttered its theaters and led film studios to explore releasing more movies directly to viewers over the internet. Details on if AMC will reopen HERE.
8:30 a.m. -- Nearly 1.9 million people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, the ninth straight decline since applications spiked in mid-March, a sign that the gradual reopening of businesses has slowed the loss of jobs. Details HERE.
9:00 a.m. -- Universal Orlando Resort will open all three of its parks to the public on Friday after being shut down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic. The parks have already started to welcome back employees, resort hotel guests, and annual passholders over the last few days. The biggest change you should expect to see at the parks HERE.
10:00 a.m. -- SeaWorld Entertainment announced SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica Orlando, and Discovery Cove will all reopen on June 11th with enhanced health and safety protocols. What exactly that will include can be found HERE.
10:00 a.m. -- SeaWorld Entertainment announced that Busch Gardens Tampa Bay as well as Adventure Island water park will welcome visitors back beginning June 11, with what they call a phased reopening. Details on opening HERE.
11:00 a.m. -- The latest numbers from the Florida Department of Health announced that there have been 60,183 cases of coronavirus statewide, resulting in 2,607 deaths. That is an additional 1,419 cases and 41 deaths since Wednesday morning.
Below is an interactive Florida Department of Health dashboard, showing a county-by-county breakdown of positive COVID-19 cases statewide.
If you are having trouble seeing the map or using it (especially on a mobile device), click here to load in a new window.
RELATED: What will change when Florida enters phase 2 of reopening on Friday?
Phase two of Florida's reopening will begin on Friday. The changes that will take effect are:
- 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.
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.
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.
RELATED: There will be no cultural representatives at Epcot's World Showcase when the park reopens
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.
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.
RELATED: NBA presents players with plan for season restart in Orlando, source says
Globally, there have been over 6.5 million COVID-19 cases, resulting in over 386,000 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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