ORLANDO, Fla. —
Read live updates below:
10 p.m. update
The fountain at Lake Eola Park is glowing red to honor health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
8:45 p.m. update
Orange County health officials said they are transitioning to throat swabs at COVID-19 testing sites.
The new tests are being provided by the state. Previously, the sites were using nasal swabs that were provided by the federal government.
For Tuesday, the Orange County testing center has 328 tests available, a combination of the nasal swabs that were left over and the newly provided throat swabs. Tests will continue until they are all out for the day, or until 5 p.m., officials said.
See a portion of the news conference below:
6:30 p.m. update
The Florida Department of Health reported 18 coronavirus-related deaths since Monday morning as positive cases in the state reached 13,629.
Health officials said of the cases, 13,214 involve residents and 415 involve nonresidents.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
They said a total of 1,719 people have been hospitalized and 254 people have died so far.
Click here to see a statewide map of positive cases, and see a county-by-county breakdown of cases in Central Florida below:
• Orange: 754 (744 cases earlier)
• Osceola: 241 (239 cases earlier)
• Seminole: 195 (194 cases earlier)
• Polk: 180 (176 cases earlier)
• Volusia: 153 (151 cases earlier)
• Lake: 107 (104 cases earlier)
• Brevard: 92 (88 cases earlier)
• Sumter: 81 (80 cases earlier)
• Marion: 55 (53 cases earlier)
• Flagler: 34 (33 cases earlier)
President Donald Trump is giving a live update about the federal response to the pandemic. Watch his news conference below:
Download the WFTV news app and watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live updates on this developing story, or click here to have updates sent straight to your inbox.
Orange County coronavirus update
5:30 p.m. update
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said 744 people in the county have tested positive for COVID-19 so far, and it is expected that number will reach 1,000 by Friday.
About 10% of the total number of people who have been tested for the virus have tested positive, Demings said.
He said eight people in the county have died so far.
Demings said he strongly recommends that people wear masks in public like he does.
The following ZIP codes have been identified as hot zones in the county, each having 30 to 51 cases:
• 32803 (Orlando)
• 32822 (Orlando and Azalea Park)
• 32824 (Orlando, Meadow Woods, Southchase and Taft)
• 32825 (Union Park and Alafaya)
• 32828 (University Park)
• 32837 (Hunters Creek)
• 34787 (Winter Garden, Bay Lake, Four Corners, Tildenville and Oakland)
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said three Orlando firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19 and 12 other firefighters have self-quarantined as a precaution.
He said a Lynx bus operator also tested positive for the coronavirus and is in self-isolation. It is not believed that the driver has infected any others.
Read: Coronavirus: Could you have already had the virus? 5 questions answered
Dyer said the fountain at Lake Eola Park will be lit with red lights Monday evening to honor health care workers.
He said the Universal Orlando Resort donated 3,000 rain ponchos to firefighters to use instead of medical gowns. He said they are reusable after they have been decontaminated.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina said his agency has four teams trained to deal with biological hazards and they are available 24/7.
Read: Coronavirus: Here’s how to apply for unemployment in Florida
Florida’s Chief Justice Charles Canady has issued a new emergency order, suspending jury trials in Florida and extending other state legal deadlines through May 29.
Watch Demings’ full news conference below:
Click here to watch live, in-depth coverage of the coronavirus pandemic on Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 5.
Download the WFTV news app and watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live updates on this developing story, or click here to have updates sent straight to your inbox.
Kissimmee police officer tests positive
3:55 p.m. update
A Kissimmee police officer has tested positive for COVID-19.
Officials said the officer responded to a call in which someone was showing symptoms of the coronavirus.
They said it is unclear if the person involved in the call tested positive for the virus.
Read: ‘We will never forget your sacrifice’: 2 Florida deputies die from coronavirus
Two Florida deputies died in recent days after contracting the virus. Click here to read about their lives.
Seminole County officials coronavirus update
2:45 p.m. update
Seminole County officials provided an update on the coronavirus outbreak in the county and current operations at Orlando-Sanford International Airport. Watch the full news conference below:
Seminole County graduation, prom plans
1:30 p.m. update
Seminole County Public Schools said Superintendent Dr. Walt Griffin has held three conference calls with each high school’s senior class president to brainstorm ideas for developing a prom and graduation replacement.
They have come up with the following proposals:
• Graduation plan No 1. (if social distancing rules have been lifted)
- Free senior dance at each high school June 11. Refunds will be issued for prom.
- High school graduations will be held at each school’s football field at 8:20 p.m. (20:20 military time) June 12. Crooms Academy would hold its graduation at Seminole High School’s football field at 4 p.m. June 13.
- If it rains June 12, graduations would be held at 8:20 a.m. June 13.
- Graduation ceremonies would also be livestreamed for those unable to attend them in-person.
Read: Coronavirus: How to make fabric masks during COVID-19 pandemic
• Graduation plan No. 2 (if social distancing rules haven’t been lifted by June)
- Free senior dance at each high school July 16. Refunds will be issued for prom.
- High school graduations will be held at each school’s football field at 8:20 p.m. (20:20 military time) July 17. Crooms Academy would hold its graduation at Seminole High School’s football field at 4 p.m. July 18.
- If it rains July 17, graduations would be held at 8:20 a.m. July 18.
- Graduation ceremonies would also be livestreamed for those unable to attend them in-person.
The district said each high school will honor the class of 2020 by turning their football stadium lights on at 8:20 p.m. (20:20 military time) April 20.
Seminole County officials will give a live update on the coronavirus in the county at 2 p.m. Click here to watch the news conference live once it begins.
Cruise ship passengers taken to hospitals
1:10 p.m. update
Authorities said 14 people have been taken to hospitals from a cruise ship that docked in Florida with coronavirus victims aboard and one of them has died at a hospital.
Two fatalities were reported earlier aboard the Coral Princess, which docked Saturday in Miami.
The Coral Princess had more than 1,000 passengers and nearly 900 crew members. It began disembarking fit passengers Sunday.
Any with symptoms of COVID-19 or recovering were being kept on ship until medically cleared.
Authorities did not immediately disclose whether the 14 people removed for immediate medical attention had a confirmed coronavirus link.
11:25 a.m. update
The Florida Department of Health reported 15 coronavirus-related deaths since Sunday evening as positive cases in the state reached more than 13,000.
Health officials said there are 13,324 cases in Florida -- 12,925 of which involve residents and 399 of which involve nonresidents.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
They said a total of 1,592 people have been hospitalized and 236 people have died so far.
Click here to see a statewide map of positive cases, and see a county-by-county breakdown of cases in Central Florida below:
• Orange: 744 (713 cases last night)
• Osceola: 239 (229 cases last night)
• Seminole: 194 (191 cases last night)
• Polk: 176 (157 cases last night)
• Volusia: 151 (no change since last night)
• Lake: 104 (101 cases last night)
• Brevard: 88 (79 cases last night)
• Sumter: 80 (75 cases last night)
• Marion: 53 (50 cases last night)
• Flagler: 32 (31 cases last night)
Click here to watch live, in-depth coverage of the coronavirus pandemic on Channel 9 Eyewitness News at Noon.
Gov. Ron DeSantis just gave an update on the state’s response to the virus. Watch the full news conference below:
EN ESPAÑOL: AQUÍ TENEMOS UNA SECCIÓN SOBRE TODO LO QUE OCURRE CON LA PANDEMIA DE CORONAVIRUS
9:36 a.m. update
Gov. Ron DeSantis is slated to hold a roundtable discussion in regards to Florida’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor is expected to speak at 10:30 a.m.
>>>You can watch his remarks LIVE here<<<
Read: Third Orange County coronavirus testing site set to open Monday
8:15 a.m. update
Rep. David Santiago said that there will be drive-thru coronavirus testing on the east and west sides of Volusia County as early as next week.
7:45 a.m. update:
Lobbies inside certain Orange County Sheriff’s Office substations will remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Read: Coronavirus: How to make fabric masks during COVID-19 pandemic
6:42 a.m. update
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said there had been no update in the county’s cases of coronavirus, but expects numbers to rise in the coming days.
The county remains at 151 confirmed cases. Two of those patients have died.
4:27 a.m. update
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s reemployment application system has reopened after being unavailable overnight.
The system was down from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to help improve the site’s ability to process applications.
“We understand this is an enormous inconvenience, but it is necessary to increase our ability to process the many applications we are receiving,” officials said.
Read: Coronavirus: Here’s how to apply for unemployment in Florida
Sen. Linda Stewart offered paper applications at her office so that those needing unemployment could mail in their application.
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