Health

The Florida Department of Health says the number of known cases of COVID-19 in the state rose by 8,530 since yesterday morning as the virus spreads and as more people are tested across the state. The total number of cases in Florida is now 141,075.

As COVID-19 cases climb in Florida, Bay Area beaches are staying busy. In Pinellas County, beaches have been back open since May 4 and as of right now officials have no plans to close them for the Fourth of July.

Beaches in Miami-Dade County will close for the July Fourth weekend-- less than a month after reopening-- and gatherings of 50 or more will be prohibited due to recent surges in coronavirus cases.

The Florida Department of Health says the number of known cases of COVID-19 in the state rose by 9,585 since yesterday morning as the virus spreads and as more people are tested across the state. The total number of cases in Florida is now 132,545.

The Centers for Disease Control added new health conditions that make people more at risk to suffer complications from COVID-19, and it includes obesity and pregnancy.

The news came minutes after Florida reported nearly 9,000 new coronavirus cases, a new record for daily increases. Officials have said the number of cases is surging among young adults, which could endanger those who are most vulnerable to the virus.

Washington state resident Michelle Brenner began cooking lasagna after she was furloughed from her menswear store job following the coronavirus outbreak and started handing out pieces for free to help those in need.

Lakeland is taking a creative approach to try and convince people to wear a mask to stop the spread of COVID-19. The city just kicked off a new media campaign dubbed “Mask up, COVID down.”

Officials in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Manatee counties are all working on plans to curb the spread of COVID-19 in so-called hot zones -- zip codes where there have been more than 300 positive cases.

On a day where Florida shattered its record for the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases, Gov. Ron DeSantis reiterated that he would not make face coverings mandatory statewide.

Fernando Cespedes sells medical insurance for a living, but now he says local officials want him to take on a new role.

Hillsborough County says wait times for test appointments have al lbut vanished, while Pinellas says a new site at Tropicana Field will cater to those with a doctor's note.

The leader of a group for Black students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison wants a statue of President Abraham Lincoln in place for more than 100 years the heart of campus removed.

The Florida Department of Health says the number of known cases of COVID-19 in the state rose by 8,942 since yesterday morning as the virus spreads and as more people are tested across the state. The total number of cases in Florida is now 122,960.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott shut down bars in Texas again on Friday and scaled back restaurant dining, the most dramatic reversals yet as confirmed coronavirus cases surge.