9:00 p.m. update
Eighth TSA Officer Tests Positive for Coronavirus at Orlando International Airport
Danielle Prieur, WMFE
An eighth TSA officer has tested positive for coronavirus at Orlando International Airport.
In an email sent to staff on Sunday, Federal Security Director Pete Garcia said the officer’s last day at the checkpoint was March 19.
Garcia said the worker will remain at home until they are cleared to return to the airport.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority said they will continue to deep-clean checkpoints, work areas and break rooms along with the employee shuttle.
Workers are encouraged to practice good hygiene and stay home if they’re sick.
John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York is the only airport in the country to have more screeners who have fallen ill with the virus.
Florida cases approach 5,000
Florida's total of confirmed coronavirus cases has jumped by more than 700 since the midday update earlier today.
As of this evening's update from the Florida Department of Health for Sunday, March 29th, Florida has 4,950 cases. The new figures show 633 people have been hospitalized, and 60 people have died from COVID-19.
Miami-Dade County has 1,448 cases, the most of any Florida county. Broward County has 992.
Central Florida cases:
Orange - 248 cases
Osceola - 85 cases
Seminole - 78 cases
Volusia - 59 cases
Polk - 46 cases
Brevard - 27 cases
Sumter - 45 cases
Lake - 40 cases
Marion - 21 cases
University of Miami doctor: Social distancing is working, keep doing it
Daniel Rivero, WLRN
The hotspot for coronavirus cases in the state is Miami-Dade County. Confirmed cases topped 1,000 over the weekend - 1,168 as of Sunday afternoon.
But by the same Sunday update, the number of people hospitalized in the county was still under a hundred - 92, according to state data.
Dr. Maria Alcaide at the University of Miami says social distancing appears to be working so far.
"I think our hospital systems are not overwhelmed right now...but that could happen," says Alcaide. "It’s very very important that everybody follows the recommendations of the stay-at-home [order in Miami-Dade]. It seems to have slowed the curve and it seems to have slowed the new number of infections, and that’s the only thing that’s going to prevent the hospital and the health care systems to get overwhelmed."
The idea of slowing the curve means that by slowing the number of new cases every day, hospital systems will be able to keep up with the number of people who need to be treated.
Florida cases top 4,200
Nicole Darden Creston, WMFE
Florida now has 4,246 coronavirus cases. Updated midday figures from the Florida Department of Health on Sunday show 594 people have been hospitalized, and 56 people have died from COVID-19.
Miami Dade has 1,168 cases, the most of any Florida county.
Central Florida cases:
- Orange - 228 cases
- Osceola - 79 cases
- Seminole - 73 cases
- Volusia - 46 cases
- Polk - 39 cases
- Brevard - 26 cases
- Sumter - 43 cases
- Lake - 34 cases
- Marion - 19 cases
