Coronavirus in Jacksonville: Live updates for Thursday, May 28
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5:45 p.m. | 16 new cases in Duval, 1 COVID-19 death in Putnam
Duval County recorded 16 new cases of the coronavirus in updated numbers from the Florida Department of Health on Thursday. Putnam County reported an additional virus related death, bringing its total to five.
Additional information on the death was not immediately available.
The department’s hospitalization numbers Thursday rose by 156 cases to 9,795 and death numbers across the state rose by 45 to 2,364. Statewide, there are 53,285 cases total. | Read more
Statewide
Cases: 53,285
Hospitalizations: 9,795
Deaths: 2,364
Cases in Northeast Florida
Duval: 1,523
Clay: 369
St. Johns: 247
Nassau: 74
Baker: 28
Putnam: 149
5:15 p.m. | Youth sports make plans to play ball again
Fort Caroline and dozens of other youth sports organizations across Northeast Florida can prepare to return to play after Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted state rules last week that kept children out of athletic competition during the coronavirus pandemic.
For thousands of players, coaches, officials and youth sports administrators throughout the First Coast, the next step is setting out on a return strategy from the shutdown — and finding a way to do it safely amid a disease that remains active in Florida. | Read more
3 p.m. | Jacksonville-ares hospital execs urge use of masks, other precautions
Jacksonville-area hospital executives took issue this week with deadly public misconceptions about COVID-19 and urged residents to continue taking precautions, even as communities begin to reopen.
In news conferences Wednesday in Clay County and Thursday in Jacksonville, they urged residents to wear masks in public and continue social distancing and frequent hand washing. Although some people view such safety measures as an imposition, they do make a difference, the executives said. | Read more
9:15 a.m. | Couple has virtual Florida wedding after canceled Spain wedding
Although they met through the online dating app Tinder in New York, Philip and Afsy never imagined a virtual ceremony would take the place of their June wedding in Casa La Siesta, a wedding venue in southern Spain.
They had spent more than a year planning their nuptials and were excited to have their families together, but as COVID-19 caused shutdowns around the globe, they were forced to cancel. | Read more
9:15 a.m. | CVS expands to 9 testing locations in Jacksonville
CVS Health announced Thursday it is adding three more stores in Jacksonville that will offer drive-thru, self-swab COVID-19 testing, which brings the total number of CVS sites to nine in Jacksonville.
The newly added sites are at 5407 Blanding Blvd, 6005 St. Augustine Road and 9100 Atlantic Blvd. CVS also announced the addition of a St. Augustine store at 2703 Ponce de Leon Blvd. | Read more
9 a.m. | Layoffs climb to nearly 41 million since virus struck
Roughly 2.1 million people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, a sign that companies are still slashing jobs in the face of a deep recession even as more businesses reopen and rehire some laid-off employees.
About 41 million people have now applied for aid since the virus outbreak intensified in March, though not all of them are still unemployed. The Labor Department’s report Thursday includes a count of all the people now receiving unemployment aid: 21 million. That is a rough measure of the number of unemployed Americans. | Read more
EARLIER
Duval County reports 2 more COVID-19 deaths, 1 in Clay County
Duval County recorded two more deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in updated numbers from the Florida Department of Health. Clay County added an additional virus-related death to its total as well.
In its Wednesday update, the department announced the 45th and 46th deaths in Duval County and Clay’s 28th. | Read more
Statewide
Cases: 52,634
Hospitalizations: 9,639
Deaths: 2,319
Cases in Northeast Florida
Duval: 1,507
Clay: 366
St. Johns: 245
Nassau: 72
Baker: 29
Putnam: 144
U.S. deaths from coronavirus surpass 100,000 milestone
The U.S. surpassed a jarring milestone Wednesday in the coronavirus pandemic: 100,000 deaths.
That number is the best estimate and most assuredly an undercount. But it represents the stark reality that more Americans have died from the virus than from the Vietnam and Korea wars combined.
“It is a grim milestone,” said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington. “It’s a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be.” | Read more
Mayor announces plan to open summer camps, pools
The city of Jacksonville will open five public pools in two weeks and open more later in the summer, Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday.
He said the city will also offer an adjusted summer camp program, hosting full and half-day camps that will be reduced in size. Each of the three programs will be free and offer a summer lunch program. Counselors will wear masks and campers will be encouraged to do so as well. | Read more
Only half of Americans say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine, AP-NORC poll shows
Only about half of Americans say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine if the scientists working furiously to create one succeed, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
That’s surprisingly low considering the effort going into the global race for a vaccine against the coronavirus that has sparked a pandemic since first emerging from China late last year. | Read more
Jumbo Shrimp to hold movie night at ballpark
No matter the temperature Saturday, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are planning to keep the weekend Frozen.
While their plans to take the field for ballgames remain on hold, the Jumbo Shrimp are planning to screen “Frozen 2” Saturday as part of a family movie night at 121 Financial Ballpark. | Read more
Walt Disney World sets July 11 reopening date for Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom
Walt Disney World plans to reopen July 11, according to a presentation the company made to an economic recovery task force Wednesday.
The theme park has been closed since March 15 because of the coronavirus pandemic, and its reopening will follow its Florida rival, Universal Orlando, which is set to reopen on June 5. | Read more
CareerSource opens its doors to help get people back to work
Amid mounting frustration with Florida’s unemployment benefits system, residents are turning to workforce planning agencies for help, as CareerSource begins to reopen its seven Northeast Florida offices.
Deborah Ebeling spoke of her struggles with unemployment during the pandemic Tuesday, the first day CareerSource allowed people back into its offices. She had been employed at Creative Bus Sales since 2013 but was unexpectedly furloughed for an indefinite amount of time.
“I was quite upset,” Ebeling said. “I do realize I’m not the only person in this world going through this.” | Read more
Back to school? 1 in 5 teachers are unlikely to return to reopened classrooms this fall, poll says
Most Americans expect schools to reopen in the fall, but a stunning number of teachers and students may not be there.
In an exclusive USA TODAY/Ipsos poll, 1 in 5 teachers say they are unlikely to go back to school if their classrooms reopen in the fall, a potential massive wave of resignations. While most teachers report working more than usual, nearly two-thirds say they haven’t been able to properly do their jobs in an educational system upended by the coronavirus. | Read more
Tuesday Morning retailer files Chapter 11 bankruptcy, plans 230 store closings
Off-price retailer Tuesday Morning filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday with plans to close more than a third of its stores.
Tuesday Morning had been struggling when the coronavirus pandemic began and went into a free fall when it was forced to temporarily close its locations due to the crisis. | Read more
Nordstrom reopening Thursday at St. Johns Town Center
Shoppers will be welcomed back inside Nordstrom amid social-distancing restrictions and a 50 percent occupancy cap as the major retailer reopens Thursday at St. Johns Town Center.
The upscale, full-line department store at 4835 Town Crossing Drive will be joined in reopening by nearby Nordstrom Rack, 4924 Big Island Drive at The Markets at Town Center. | Read more
More news from the past 48 hours
City Hall to pay $9 million to struggling Jacksonville small businesses
Jacksonville small business owners, self-employed workers and sole proprietors who’ve lost 25 percent of their income due to the coronavirus pandemic are eligible to apply for a $2,000 grant from City Hall.
The Jacksonville City Council approved Tuesday a financial relief package that will give $2,000 grants to 4,500 local small businesses, self-employed workers and sole proprietors. | Read more
Mayor Curry touts Jacksonville as possible destination for Republican National Convention
Mayor Lenny Curry on Tuesday morning suggested Jacksonville as a potential option for the Republican National Convention this summer, should the party elect to move the event from its scheduled location in Charlotte, N.C.
In a Twitter thread, Curry cited the city’s recent hosting of the UFC 249 mixed martial arts competition earlier this month as an example of Jacksonville’s ability to stage major events on short notice during the coronavirus pandemic. | Read more
Homeland chief touts firefighter grants in Jacksonville visit
The acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security visited a Jacksonville fire station Tuesday promoting changes to a grant system the city has used to hire more firefighters.
The changes, including waiving a requirement for local governments to match part of the grant, will help cities that were financially hammered by the coronavirus pandemic keep protecting their communities despite hard times, said Acting Secretary Chad Wolf. | Read more
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
Map of coronavirus cases and deaths in the U.S.
Limited Jaguars staff returns to work at TIAA Bank Field for first time since mid-March
The Jaguars reopened their facility at TIAA Bank Field on Tuesday morning with a limited staff that did not include Coach Doug Marrone.
No players could return other than those undergoing medical treatment or rehabilitation work, the first phase of reopening offices closed for more than two months because of the coronavirus pandemic. | Read more
Man arranges surprise wedding in St. Augustine despite coronavirus disruption
De-Shazo Wilkinson surprised his fiancee, Jacarra, with a wedding, celebrated with a handful of loved ones and members of the media who had been invited to attend — a sweet ending after regular plans were disrupted by the coronavirus. | Read more
New Jacksonville mental-health clinic serving veterans, families via telehealth
On March 3, Cohen Veterans Network opened its 15th mental health clinic for post-9/11 veterans and their families in Jacksonville.
Then everything shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone went virtual. | Read more
Lot J testing closes for day due to weather
COVID-19 testing at the drive-thru site at TIAA Bank Field’s Lot J was suspended for the day on Tuesday due to inclement weather, the city announced via Twitter. | Read more
NHL to call off regular season due to virus
The NHL will abandon the rest of the regular season due to the coronavirus pandemic and go straight into the playoffs with 24 teams instead of 16 if it is able to resume play.
The decision, announced Tuesday by Commissioner Gary Bettman, is not a guarantee that games are coming back. The NHL and the NHL Players’ Association must still figure out health and safety protocols and solve other issues, including where to play. | Read more
Florida baseball stadium listed on Airbnb for $1,500 per night
With no minor league baseball games to be played, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos are getting creative and diving into the hospitality business.
The team, the Class AA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins that plays in the Southern League, listed Blue Wahoos Stadium on Airbnb, starting at $1,500 a night (plus fees). | Read more
Facing death threats and no pay, mayors are the front-line commanders of the coronavirus pandemic
Mayors didn’t come up with the “locally executed, state managed and federally supported” approach that President Donald Trump has adopted for combating the coronavirus. But they’re the front-line commanders.
While governors have been in the spotlight, mayors have been seeing up close, every day, how much longer a neighborhood bar and grill can go without customers before it must permanently shutter, how many masks the senior center has left, how long the food bank lines are and how many of their own employees might soon be out of a job. | Read more
Florida NRA leader questions local coronavirus stats, suggests they’re ‘deliberately deceptive’
The woman who has personified the National Rifle Association in Florida is concerned that local coronavirus figures aren’t accurately telling the story of the virus in the state’s capital.
Marion P. Hammer, the NRA’s longtime lobbyist in Florida and a former NRA president, wrote an email to county officials, which she forwarded to the Tallahassee Democrat on Monday. | Read more
Message to Class of 2020: Duval Schools Superintendent Diana Greene
In today’s installment of the Florida Times-Union’s video series for this year’s graduating class, Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Diana Greene shares her words of encouragement with seniors. | Read more
Tracking the spread of coronavirus cases in the US and worldwide
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