Miami mayor warns spike could lead to more deaths, south Florida ramps up measures

Record ID: 1560260

  • Title: Miami mayor warns spike could lead to more deaths, south Florida ramps up measures
  • Date: 1st July 2020
  • Summary: MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (JULY 1, 2020) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIAMI MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ, SAYING: "Even though our ICU beds are going up, our ventilators are going up, and our hospitalizations are going up, you know, we're still at a point where we have significant significant capacity, which of course is is one of the things that we look at when implementing measures to protect the healthcare system."
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2020 00:42
  • Keywords: COVID Florida Keys Miami coronavirus masks pandemic restrictions surge
  • Location: FLORIDA KEYS AND MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
  • City: FLORIDA KEYS AND MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA004CKZCMKN
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:As new cases of coronavirus in South Florida surge, local government officials have reimposed protective measures, including a curfew in Miami Beach and mandatory masks throughout the area.
    While the majority of the cases are in the less vulnerable 18-44 age group, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said that it's important not to be complacent, because it will be weeks before they know the full effect of this spike.
    "People focus on the fact that the death rate is still relatively low. I think that's also a great statistic, but deaths and hospitalizations usually lag two to five weeks beyond the new cases. So we don't have yet a complete picture of what these spike in new cases means for purposes of hospitalizations and for mortality rate, so that's a concern. You know, the other concern is of course these young people can be spreading it to older people," he said.
    Monroe County administrator Roman Gastesi echoed Suarez's concern, saying Florida Keys' officials have had to step up restrictions ahead of the upcoming July 4th weekend.
    "Unfortunately, we're going to have to close the beaches. We're going to have to close the parks and do some things that that we didn't want to have to do, especially on an important weekend that we have, on July 4th weekend," he said.
    Some local hospitals in Miami have announced that, in light of the increase of cases, they will be stopping elective procedures.
    Suarez, who also instituted a fine for people who refuse to wear a mask, said he believes the additional precautions can ensure that all area residents are able to access medical care if they become seriously ill with COVID.
    "We have the ability to continue to expand capacity and I think what we're starting to see is hospitals take some of those measures by discontinuing elective surgeries," he said, adding that, if needed, officials could erect a recently-disbanded portable hospital.
    He also called on regional officials to increase screening measures at Miami International Airport.
    "Our commission has been very adamant in trying to pressure the county, because that (referring to Miami International Airport) is a county-run facility, to do more at the airport. To screen people. To get that information to our contact tracers at the state. And frankly, it's kind of fallen on deaf ears," he said.
    While coronavirus cases in Miami were low in March and April, Florida put a mandatory quarantine of visitors from New York. As the number of cases in Florida began to soar recently, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut instituted their own mandatory quarantine on Florida residents. Suarez said there were no hard feelings.
    "I don't begrudge any other locality that feels they have to implement safety measures to protect their residents from from visitors coming there. It doesn't bother me at all," he added.
    Coronavirus cases in the United States rose by over 48,000 on Wednesday, the biggest daily increase since the pandemic started, according to a Reuters tally.
    Florida, along with Arizona, California and Texas led the increases and were among 14 states that have reported a more than doubling of case numbers during the month of June, according to a Reuters analysis.
    (Production: Arlene Eiras)
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