South Florida cases, deaths still on the rise
▪ Miami-Dade, which has the most deaths in the state from the coronavirus, added 271 cases and two deaths since Saturday morning, putting it at 6,758 and 94, respectively.
Florida is nearing 19,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than half of those coming from South Florida, according to the state Department of Health’s Saturday report.
As of Saturday evening, the state’s total cases were at 18,986, with 458 deaths. Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties make up 10,792 of those confirmed COVID-19 cases and 250 deaths.
Of the new deaths since Friday night, 14 were from South Florida.
Miami-Dade, which has the most deaths in the state, added 271 cases and two deaths since Saturday morning, putting it at 6,758 and 94, respectively. Broward saw another 165 cases and
four new deaths, raising the county total to 2,844 cases and a death toll of 76.
IN-HOUSE TESTING FOR SENIORS
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced the county will launch its at-home coronavirus testing for senior citizens and adults with disabilities over the age of 18 on Tuesday.
The tests are free to anyone exhibiting symptoms and will be performed by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units. The testing is being done in partnership with Jackson Health System.
“The program uses the same criteria used in our drive-thru sites,” Gimenez said during his Saturday address to the public. “But this program is designed for people who are home bound.”
The program is available to residents county-wide except for people living within the limits of the city of Miami, which started its own at-home testing program on March 23.
Appointments will be available starting at 9 a.m. Monday. Call 305-4998767.
TEST BACKLOG WORSE THAN STATE SAYS
Florida is significantly under-reporting the state’s COVID-19 testing backlog, a blind spot in the data that could obscure the pandemic’s size and hamper efforts to decide when it’s safe to end restrictions such as social distancing — even as Gov. Ron DeSantis touts the state’s transparency when it comes to the coronavirus.
On its public website, the Florida Department of Health says about 1,400 people statewide are waiting for their test results.
But that’s an undercount, the department acknowledged in response to questions from the Miami Herald. And it’s likely a massive one.
That’s because the state reports only the number of Floridians waiting to hear back from state labs, not private ones — and those private labs are completing more than 90% of Florida’s tests. The state website doesn’t say that its figures exclude the vast majority of pending tests for the virus.
Two small, private South Florida healthcare providers told the Herald this week that they are awaiting COVID-19 test results for almost 800 patients. That number alone would increase the state’s official count of backlogged tests by more than 50%.
DESANTIS EXTENDS VACATION RENTAL BAN
DeSantis extended his suspension of vacations rentals througn April. On Friday, DeSantis signed Executive Order 20-103 to halt the rentals until April 30.
He had originally suspended the rentals on March 27 for a two-week period.
MORE AMAZON WORKERS INFECTED
Four more Amazon warehouse workers in Miami-Dade County have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a worker at the Opa-locka facility told the Miami Herald. At least six of the company’s workers in the county have contracted the disease.
From April 3 to April 8, employees at the Opalocka warehouse, 14000 NW 37th Ave., received text messages that four employees had tested positive for the virus, according to screenshots of messages given to the Herald.
A worker at the warehouse told the Herald that they are frustrated that the facility is still open and that workers are made to pack nonessential products. A video shot by the worker at the Opa-locka warehouse shows a sex toy and mini-basketballs.
“We are very afraid to get infected. No one follows 6 feet social distancing because it is part of the job,” the worker said. “… Amazon stays open at the cost of [their] workers’ health and our families’.”
Amazon wouldn’t confirm or deny the legitimacy of four text messages that said four employees tested positive but did tell the Herald the company tells all of its employees at the site of a confirmed case.
NO FORMS AT LIBRARIES ON SUNDAY
After four days of handing out tens of thousands of state unemployment forms, Miami-Dade libraries will pause on Easter Sunday and then resume the distribution on Monday.
The seven-day operation at 26 branches will start again at 8 a.m. on Monday. Distribution ends at 7 p.m. daily.
Figures from the first days of the workaround for Florida’s overwhelmed and unprepared unemployment website showed more than 46,000 forms were picked up in Miami-Dade. Nearly 8,000 were returned through libraries’ book drop-off slots.
The Hispanic library branch in Little Havana was the busiest in terms of handing out forms, with more than 5,000 forms distributed. The West Dade library was a close second, handing out more than 4,900 forms.
BEACH FIRES 258
The coronavirus shutdown has cost Miami Beach an estimated $14.4 million per month that has already resulted in layoffs, furloughs and the likelihood of budget cuts.
More than most cities, Miami Beach relies on revenue from tourism — taxes and utility bills paid by hotels and restaurants and the parking fees that visitors are charged. The city ordered most of those businesses to close or cut their operations. The resulting loss of income will force the administration to dip into its emergency reserves and consider millions in budget cuts.
City Manager Jimmy Morales, who has used the emergency powers granted to him by the city charter to shut down restaurants, bars and hotels across the city, has already furloughed 35 full-time employees and laid off 258 part-time employees.
Now, he is taking a furlough. The city’s top administrator, who makes $305,736 a year, will take 10 days off without pay in the next few months. City Attorney Raul Aguila and City Clerk Rafael Granado will also take 10-day furloughs. Employees working for Morales, Aguila and Granado will take five-day furloughs.
BATTLING CABIN FEVER
Some Miami real estate agents say they’re fielding calls from condo owners looking to switch to singlefamily homes, due to cabin fever caused by stay-athome orders. And some apartment renters are looking to pay to use the swimming pool at vacant homes listed for rent or sale.
“We are getting those phone calls from people who are totally in condos, they can’t use any of the amenities and they’re home with the kids,” said Carole Smith, vice president with Compass Realty.
Smith said she has one listing for a house with a pool and the asking rent is $15,000 a month — too much cash to plunk down just to give the kids some swim time.
That’s not all: Smith also got a call from someone whose grandson is a competitive junior tennis player but has nowhere to practice because courts are also shut down everywhere.
“They’re looking for someone who will rent them their tennis court,” Smith said. “I have one listing that has a tennis court and will put out feeler to her. They’re willing to pay. I don’t know that she would charge or just let them use it out of the goodness of her heart.
“I guess for a budding player, 90 days without practice is not good. They are certainly going to be six feet apart.”
Herald staff writers Devoun Cetoute, Daniel
Chang, Howard Cohen, Douglas Hanks, Nicholas Nehamas and Martin Vassolo contributed to this report.
Rene Rodriguez: 305-376-3611, @RodriguezRene