Coronavirus in Florida updates: Statewide confirmed cases pass 12,000 mark; 25 new deaths reported
Rachael ThomasWe'll update this story throughout the day with the latest news about coronavirus and its effects in Florida.
The Florida Department of Health reported 25 new coronavirus-related deaths in the state Sunday, bringing the total to 221, as the number of cases continued to soar. The state added almost 2,500 new confirmed cases this weekend, with a total of 12,350, according to data from the FDOH.
Of those confirmed cases, 1,555 have been admitted to the hospital, an increase of 20 from Saturday evening.
In total, 116,898 tests have been conducted in Florida, and 103,301 have been negative, according to the data.
Bronx Zoo tiger tests positive for coronavirus
6:05 p.m.
NEW YORK — Federal officials confirmed a tiger at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID-19 after multiple animals developed virus symptoms.
Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger, was tested after her sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions developed a dry cough. The animals are all expected to recover.
"We tested the cat out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about COVID-19 will contribute to the world’s continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus," said the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which manages the Bronx Zoo.
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British PM Boris Johnson hospitalized; US braced for 'Pearl Harbor moment'
5:21 p.m.
The nation was bracing Sunday for it deadliest week in what the surgeon general called "our Pearl Harbor moment" as the trajectory of coronavirus cases continued its climb, but there were hints of improvement in the nation's "hot spot" of New York.
The picture looked bleak in England, where Prime Minister Boris Johnson was hospitalized as his coronavirus symptoms persisted and the country's death rate continued to climb. Queen Elizabeth II tried to rally Britons in a rare address to the nation – from isolation.
In Italy, Pope Francis celebrated Palm Sunday Mass in an empty St. Peter’s Basilica.
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Drive-thru Palm Sunday service
3:48 p.m.
VERO BEACH — Local church leaders had to find a different way this year to celebrate Palm Sunday safely during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Rev. Anna V. Copeland, the interim senior minister at The Community Church of Vero Beach, came up with the idea to give out palm fronds, a traditional part of the Christian holy day, via drive-thru.
“People are lonely. People are isolated,” Copeland said. “Even though we can’t hug each other right now, we need to be able to look each other in the eyes and smile.”
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Two infants test positive for COVID-19 in Collier County
1:55 p.m. April 5
Two infants have tested positive for COVID-19 in Collier County, according to the Florida Department of Health.
A six-year-old was the youngest confirmed case until this weekend's FDOH updates listed two infants positive with coronavirus.
Employee at South Bay Correctional Institution tests positive for COVID-19 after visiting New York
10:51 a.m. April 5
A staff member at South Bay Correctional Institution tested positive for COVID-19 last week but was not in contact with inmates after contracting the virus.
A spokesperson for The GEO Group, which manages the private prison, stated the staff member had recently traveled to New York and tested positive upon returning.
The Palm Beach County facility received notification of the positive test on March 30.
Boynton area couple die within six minutes of one another
5:31 p.m. April 4
To those who knew them, Stuart and Adrian Baker were the kind of people “who did things unconditionally,” said their son-in-law, Antonio De Corral.
“They were wonderful people, who had a lot of friends and family, always willing to help out, and were very loved by their neighbors here and in New York and other areas.”
But then they got sick from coronavirus.
More:If you're traveling between states, here's where you'll have to self-quarantine
Health Department officials want Floridians to take online coronavirus survey
4:06 p.m. April 4
The Department of Health is seeking Florida residents to respond to a 10-step online survey about the coronavirus.
The "Stronger than COVID-19" anonymous survey was launched Saturday. The questions cover demographic information, recent travel history, health history and habit changes in response to the social distancing push by health officials.
The survey takes a couple of minutes.