Florida reports 17 additional COVID-19 deaths

Florida state health officials reported 17 additional deaths in people who tested positive for COVID-19 Friday in Broward, Dade, Hillsborough, Lee, Orange, Palm Beach, St. Johns and St. Lucie counties.

This brings the death total in the state to 46: Broward (10), Citrus (1), Clay (4), Dade (2), Duval (3), Highlands (1), Hillsborough (2), Lee (5), Manatee (1), Orange (4), Palm Beach (5), Pasco (1), Pinellas (1), Santa Rosa (1), Sarasota (2), St. Johns (2) and St. Lucie (1) counties.

91 percent of the deaths in Florida have been reported in people age 65 and older.

The total cases in the state has risen to 3,198 with Dade (869), Broward (631), Palm Beach (241) and Hillsborough and Orange (174) counties recording the most cases.

On Friday, Gov, Ron DeSantis, in a briefing, made the following announcements:

• The National Guard is now stationed at Palm Beach County International Airport and Ft. Myers International Airport to help enforce the Governor’s order on travel from the New York Tri-State area. So far, the National Guard has collected 3,406 enforcement forms from New York travelers.
• All travelers from Louisiana will be required to self-isolate for 14 days. This will be executed through checkpoints along major highways where drivers will be directed to stop and fill out information regarding their Florida stay. Sheriffs and FHP will take lead on this. DOT will be placing signage along major roadways entering Florida. This excludes commercial travel.
• He asked the Attorney General to investigate Larkin Community Hospital in Hialeah in Miami-Dade, who has charged individuals $150 to get tested for COVID-19. Tests are free statewide.
• He is directing a 14-day moratorium on the operation of vacation rentals in Florida.
• The state will provide 1,000 swabs to each of the four counties with the highest number of positive COVID-19 cases (Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough).