Tracking coronavirus: Florida hits daily record high with 1,902 new cases, 29 more deaths
ORLANDO, Fla. - Below is a log of the day's events as it relates to the global coronavirus pandemic.
2:00 p.m. -- Florida is currently in phase 2 of reopening which allowed more businesses to reopen that have been shut down since the coronavirus pandemic struck. As the state sees a spike in coronavirus cases since phase 2 began a week ago, it’s unlikely that Governor Ron DeSantis is ready to propel Florida into phase 3 too quickly. HERE is what you can expect from phase 3.
12:30 p.m. -- Take the stairs, not the elevator, down from your hotel room. Encourage people to bring their own food and drinks to your cookout. Use hand sanitizer after banking at an ATM. Call ahead to restaurants and nail salons to make sure staff are wearing face coverings. And no high-fives — or even elbow bumps — at the gym.
These are some of the tips in long-awaited guidance from U.S. health officials about how to reduce risk of coronavirus infection for Americans who are attempting some semblance of normal life.
11:20 a.m. -- The Florida Department of Health says there are 70,971 confirmed cases in the state, up 1,902 from Thursday. The death toll is at 2,877.
9:15 a.m. -- Florida saw its biggest increase in daily reported coronavirus cases on Thursday with another 1,698 cases. In the past week, Florida has added more than 7,000 cases. “This is a big deal and it’s getting worse,” Seminole County Medical Director Todd Husty said. “We were so close to zero. We were that close and then we started opening up.”
8:15 a.m. -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a plan to reopen schools in the fall at full capacity. How local leaders are reacting HERE.
7:45 a.m. -- Friday marks four years since the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando where 49 innocent lives were lost too soon. Each year, mourners gather at the site where the tragedy took place, but this year, because of COVID-19, the remembrance ceremony has moved online.
5:00 a.m. -- The Florida Department of Health reports 1,698 new positive COVID-19 cases on Thursday (1,677 Florida residents and 21 non-Florida residents), bringing the state total to 69,069. There have been 2,848 deaths.
Florida COVID-19 Interactive Map HERE
Worldwide COVID-19 Interactive Map
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