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Coronavirus in Jacksonville: What you need to know for Monday, May 25

The Times-Union
Florida Times-Union

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6:25 p.m. | Small Memorial Day ceremony held in St. Augustine amid coronavirus

The normal Memorial Day crowds weren’t there because of the coronavirus. Plus skies were gray and rain drizzled all around.

Yet people still came to St. Augustine National Cemetery on Monday afternoon to honor those who have died while serving in the U.S. military. | Read more

6:15 p.m. | PHOTOS: Memorial Day at Jacksonville’s beaches

See photos from Memorial Day across Duval County’s beaches, where Atlantic and Neptune Beaches were spotted with groups of people trying to enjoy surf and sands while trying to maintain some sort of social distancing guidelines. | Read more

5:25 p.m. | Child abuse query headed to Jacksonville City Council

While parents stay home with their children dealing with stresses from the coronavirus pandemic, a City Council member is asking what Jacksonville should do to discourage child abuse.

Children’s advocates have worried adults stressed by the pandemic could lash out violently against the young. | Read more

5:20 p.m. | Cowford Chophouse and egg company donate 300,000 chicken eggs

A tractor-trailer pulled up Friday morning at a Feeding Northeast Florida warehouse, full of boxes of donated chicken eggs — more than 300,000 of them — in an effort initiated by a Jacksonville restaurateur who spent much of his life as an egg farmer.

That’s a lot of eggs.

But they’ll be gone in a week, such is the demand now for food, especially protein-rich food, in the depths of the economic crisis that came with the coronavirus pandemic. | Read more

4:25 p.m. | Lock your cars! Vehicle theft spikes in COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus hasn’t been kind to car owners. With more people than ever staying home to lessen the spread of COVID-19, their sedans, pickup trucks and SUVs are parked unattended on the streets, making them easy targets for opportunistic thieves.

Despite silent streets and nearly nonexistent traffic, vehicle larcenies shot up 63% in New York and nearly 17% in Los Angeles from Jan. 1 through mid-May, compared with the same period last year. | Read more

3 p.m. | ‘As one nation, we mourn’: Trump marks Memorial Day during coronavirus pandemic

Amid a pandemic on the brink of claiming 100,000 American lives, President Donald Trump made Memorial Day visits to a military cemetery and a historic fort on Monday – and paid homage to service members responding to the coronavirus.

“I stand before you at this noble fortress of American liberty to pay tribute to the immortal souls who fought and died to keep us free,” Trump said at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, where he and first lady Melania Trump held their hands over their hearts as a fife and drum corps played the national anthem. | Read more

1:20 p.m. | Trump says he’s finished hydroxychloroquine regimen to ward off COVID-19

President Donald Trump said he has finished taking his regimen of hydroxychloroquine, a controversial drug he has promoted as a treatment for the coronavirus despite warnings from his own U.S. Food and Drug Administration and medical professionals about its effectiveness and potentially dangerous side effects.

“Finished, just finished,” Trump said in an interview with Sinclair Broadcast’s program “Full Measure With Sharyl Attkisson,” which aired Sunday. “And by the way, I’m still here. To the best of my knowledge, here I am.” | Read more

1:10 p.m. | Reopening Jacksonville: Adventure Landing set to reopen in Jacksonville Beach

Two months after closing due to the coronavirus pandemic, Jacksonville Beach’s Adventure Landing and Shipwreck Island Waterpark are set to reopen. | Read more

12:10 p.m. | Humans ‘not meant to be alone’: Many Americans haven’t seen or touched another person in 3 months because of COVID-19

As cities and states slowly re-open their economies and ease back on social distancing regulations, many Americans are skipping the rush back to restaurants and gyms and choosing to stay home instead, their isolation now stretching into a third month.

They’re doing so because they are elderly, medically vulnerable, skeptical of their local government’s re-opening plans or just too afraid to venture back out into society. | Read more

12 p.m. | Duval County lists two more deaths

Duval County listed two new deaths from COVID-19, while state hospitalizations linked to the coronavirus pandemic increased by the lowest daily number in nearly two months in the latest numbers released Monday by the Florida Department of Health. | Read more

Statewide

Hospitalizations: 9,424

Deaths: 2,252

Cases in Northeast Florida

Duval: 1,467

Clay: 362

St. Johns: 240

Nassau: 70

Baker: 27

Putnam: 143 | Read more

11:15 a.m. | Reopening Jacksonville: The Bread & Board opens second area restaurant

The Bread & Board, known for its baked in-house artisan breads, meats and cheeses — served as sandwiches or sandwich boards — opens its second Jacksonville restaurant Tuesday at St. Johns Town Center North. | Read more

7:30 a.m. | Reopening Jacksonville: Buffet restaurants struggle to recover from COVID-19

Buffets have long been a Southern tradition, ranging from down-home cafes in tiny rural towns to the sprawling spread billed as an “endless buffet” offered by Raleigh, N.C.-based Golden Corral.

Buffet restaurants survived the shutdown. But can they survive without the buffet? | Read more

EARLIER

In its Sunday update, the Florida health department reported 50,867 cases in the state, 740 more than reported 24 hours earlier. In Florida, one in 422 people has now contracted COVID-19.

Statewide hospitalizations increased to 9,381, and the department now lists 2,237 deaths, four more than on Saturday. There were four deaths reported Sunday, but none were in Northeast Florida. | Read more

Statewide

Hospitalizations: 9,381

Deaths: 2,237

Cases in Northeast Florida

Duval: 1406

Clay: 354

St. Johns: 238

Nassau: 69

Baker: 27

Putnam: 139

Deaths in Northeast Florida

Duval: 41

Clay: 27

St. Johns: 5

Nassau: 1

Baker: 3

Putnam: 4 | Read more

Earlier:

Heading back to the gym? Doctors explain how to stay safe

There are many legitimate concerns about how gyms and fitness studios can safely reopen without furthering the spread. But infectious disease experts say risk can be greatly mitigated by following some simple rules. | Read more

Memorial Day even more poignant as veterans die from virus

One was a 94-year-old veteran of World War II who was the first of his 11 brothers to enlist in the military. One was a Vietnam veteran who lost his leg overseas and was always touched when people thanked him for his service. Another was drafted into the military at 18 and was awarded a Purple Heart. They are among the untold number of veterans who served and survived during times of war only to die in recent weeks from the coronavirus. | Read more

Memorial Day weekend pool party in Ozarks draws national attention

In a 16-second video clip, dozens are seen in swim wear, eating and, overall, looking like they’re having a good time at a pool party in Lake of the Ozarks on Memorial Day weekend. | Read more

Memorial Day weekend draws crowds and triggers warnings

The Memorial Day weekend marking the unofficial start of summer in the U.S. meant big crowds at beaches and warnings from authorities Sunday about people disregarding the coronavirus social-distancing rules and risking a resurgence of the scourge that has killed nearly 100,000 Americans. | Read more

Reopening Jacksonville: Vacation rentals can reopen in Duval, Clay, St. Johns and Nassau

Vacation rentals, like Airbnb and VRBO, can begin renting again after the state approved plans from Northeast Florida counties. | Read more

Memorial Day 2020 food safety: Coronavirus isn’t the only threat at holiday weekend barbecues

Memorial Day barbecues might look a little different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the risk of food poisoning hasn’t changed. Here are tips to keep your family safe. | Read more

White House goal on testing nursing homes unmet

Nearly two weeks ago the White House urged governors to ensure that every nursing home resident and staff member be tested for the coronavirus within 14 days. It’s not going to happen. | Read more

Public remarks prompted Florida virus data curator’s firing

The woman who raised questions about Florida’s COVID-19 data after being ousted as the data’s curator had been reprimanded several times and ultimately fired for violating Health Department policy. | Read more

Reopening Northeast Florida: Live music making a comeback in St. Augustine restaurants

As local restaurants welcome customers to indoor dining, they’re also giving the green light to musicians and entertainers who have been out of work for months. | Read more

Map of coronavirus cases and deaths in the U.S.

Starter

Tracking the spread of coronavirus cases in the US and worldwide

Starter

Coronavirus in Jacksonville: Answers to your questions

Readers across the First Coast have questions about the COVID-19 outbreak. Now, the Times-Union has some answers. | Read more

Many restaurants remain open for take-out, delivery

Looking to support local businesses staying open during the coronavirus pandemic? Want a meal or a drink to take home?

Many restaurants in the Jacksonville area area offering takeout, curbside or drive-thru options to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. | Read more

Acts of kindness, good deeds, how area residents are helping others

When times are tough, Jacksonville’s people come through for each other.

While it’s important to read the latest news about coronavirus, it’s also good for us to read about the good deeds, the random acts of kindness and the stories about people helping those around them. These stories are sure to make you smile or inspire you on ways you give back to your community. | Read more

Testing site locations in Duval and Northeast Florida

More COVID-19 testing sites have recently opened - and more will soon open.

We’ll keep a list here of all testing sites for Jacksonville, Nassau, Clay, St. Johns, Baker and Putnam counties. | Read more

Laid off? 7 steps to take, and phone calls to make, now

The laid-off line cook was confused and tearful as she pondered the sudden loss of her $400-a-week job at a Lake Worth Beach restaurant.

Economists expect the crippling shutdown to put hundreds of thousands of Floridians — and millions of Americans — out of work. Mortgage lenders and others are stepping in to offer assistance. | Read more

Stimulus check: Calculate how much money you could get

The U.S. Senate approved a sweeping $2 trillion stimulus package that aims to help people affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

People who are still working, those who are unemployed, those who are self-employed and contractors would all benefit. Businesses also stand to get financial assistance to avoid closing down or laying off employees because of the economic effect of the pandemic. | Read more

Ticket Tracker: What’s canceled, postponed, rescheduled or still on?

Dozens of concerts were canceled due to the coronavirus — and more might still be coming — but many now have new dates. | Read more

FAQ: Coronavirus

Coronavirus is spreading in the U.S. Here's everything to know, from symptoms to how to protect yourself. [USA TODAY]

Worried about the coronavirus (COVID-19)? Here is what you should be aware of, from symptoms to best practices for avoiding the disease, including what you should do if you suspect you have contracted coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. | Read more