ORLANDO, Fla. — See our complete coverage below:
Read live updates below:
9:10 p.m. update
Marion County said Wednesday evening that 30 COVID-19 cases have been reported.
The most recent individuals infected range from ages 26 to 66, according to county officials. Five of them are Ocala and two are from Summerfield. Three of the most recent cases have had contacts to another COVID-19 case in the county, and none of them traveled outside Florida.
In addition, 71 cases are now being reported in Lake County. Of those, 64 are Florida residents.
7:10 p.m. update
The Florida Department of Health reported 14 coronavirus-related deaths since this morning.
Officials said the total number of reported COVID-19 cases has increased by 818 to a total of 7,773.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
Of the cases, 7,495 cases involve Florida residents and 278 cases involve nonresidents.
The total number of deaths stands at 101.
Read: Coronavirus fact check: Are more men than women dying from COVID-19?
See a county-by-county breakdown of cases below, and click here to see a map of cases in Florida:
• Orange: 458 (393 this morning)
• Seminole: 128 (109 this morning)
• Osceola: 140 (115 this morning)
• Volusia: 93 (80 this morning)
• Polk: 91 (76 this morning)
• Lake: 71 (67 this morning)
• Sumter: 57 (52 this morning)
• Brevard: 47 (38 this morning)
• Marion: 30 (28 this morning)
• Flagler: 24 (20 this morning)
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.
6:40 p.m. update
The U.S. Coast Guard has directed cruise ships to prepare to treat any sick passengers and crew on board while being sequestered "indefinitely" offshore during the coronavirus pandemic.
The new rules outlined in a memo are required for ships in the district that covers Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Puerto Rico.
Read: FDA seeks immediate removal of heartburn drug Zantac from shelves
They also come with a stiff warning: Any foreign-flagged vessels "that loiter beyond U.S. territorial seas" should try first to medically evacuate the very sick to the countries where they are registered.
The Coast Guard said shore-side facilities are stressed and patients may be more comfortable being treated onboard.
5:40 p.m. update
President Donald Trump and the White House Coronavirus Task Force are giving a live update on the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to watch him speak live on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.
>>> CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE <<<
AQUÍ TENEMOS UNA SECCIÓN - EN ESPAÑOL - SOBRE TODO LO QUE OCURRE CON LA PANDEMIA DE CORONAVIRUS
5:20 p.m. update
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said there are more than 400 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county and cases could reach 500 by Friday.
He said National Institutes of Health models predict that the number of cases in the county will peak in late April or early May.
Read: Gov. DeSantis to issue stay-at-home order in Florida
Demings said the models predict there will be 7,000 deaths in Florida with 172 deaths per day during the pandemic's peak.
He said there are six hot spots for cases in the county, which is broken down by ZIP code.
• 32801 (Downtown Orlando)
• 32822 (Orlando and Azalea Park)
• 32839 (Orlando, Edgewood, Holden Heights, Oak Ridge and Pine Castle)
• 32837 (Hunters Creeks)
• 32824 (Orlando, Meadow Woods, Southchase and Taft)
• 32828 (University Park)
Demings said two more Orange County Fire Rescue employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases to three.
None of them have been hospitalized, and they remain in self-quarantine, he said.
Demings said the county's rental assistance program has closed after it received more than 30,000 applications in 12 days.
He said staff members will follow up with each applicant.
Read: What we know about coronavirus: 3 things that have changed
County heat map of #COVID-19 cases. @OCFLMayor: Don't be misled about the lack of numbers in your zip code - as there are various factors, specifically population density. According to CDC, as many as 25% of people can be infected with COVID-19, but not show symptoms. pic.twitter.com/yWNsE6mYyd
— Orange County FL (@OrangeCoFL) April 1, 2020
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said an Orlando Fire Department employee has also tested positive for COVID-19 after he or she experienced flu-like symptoms last month.
Dyer said the firefighter works in an administrative role, does not come into contact with patients, is no longer symptomatic and remains in self-quarantine.
He said events of more than 10 people have been banned until the end of April in the city of Orlando.
Watch the full news conference below, and keep scrolling to continue reading the latest update:
Dr. Raul Pino, the state health officer for Orange County, said more than 3,602 people have been tested in the county with 10% of cases testing positive for the virus.
So far, 64 patients have required hospitalization, he said.
Read: Publix allowing employees to wear masks, gloves during coronavirus pandemic
Pino said the Orlando area appears to be two weeks behind other harder hit cities such as, New York City and Miami in terms of trends.
"The next two weeks are critical for us," he said. "It is in our control to stop spreading the disease around."
Read: #KeepOrlandoHome: Property managers, nonprofits raise money for rental assistance programs
He urged residents to practice social distancing, to wash their hands, to stay at home and to only leave their homes when necessary.
Pino said testing sites will be open through the weekend.
He gave the follow breakdown of cases by city:
• Orlando (272)
• Winter Park (21)
• Windermere (16)
• Ocoee (12)
• Apopka (8)
• Winter Garden (8)
• Maitland (7)
Demings said a burn ban is in place in the county because of recent dry weather. He said residents should follow the ban to not bring undue stress upon the county’s firefighters.
Click here to read more about the burn ban.
Click here to watch live, in-depth coronavirus coverage on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.
3:52 p.m. update
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings will give a live update on the county’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to watch him speak live on Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 4.
>>> CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE <<<
2:20 p.m. update
Seminole County officials provided an update on COVID-19.
Business and service leaders offered ways for residents to receive essential items in the county.
Seminole County leaders said there are 120 confirmed cases in the county.
Officials said nine individuals have been cleared of the virus.
Watch the press conference below:
1:20 p.m. update
Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will be signing an executive order for people to stay-at-home due to the coronavirus.
The order will “limit movements and personal interactions outside the home,” DeSantis said.
Only essential services will be allowed to operate. DeSantis said a list of services will be released and some businesses can be added to the list if they are deemed essential.
The order will begin at 12:01 a.m. April 3 and expires April 30.
DeSantis said construction on Sand Lake Road will be accelerated.
Watch the press conference below:
Pressure has been building for @GovRonDeSantis to shutdown the state of Florida and now it's happening. The Governor says he's signing an order for people here to stay-at-home due to the President's 30-days. @WFTV
— Lauren Seabrook (@LSeabrookWFTV) April 1, 2020
AQUÍ TENEMOS UNA SECCIÓN - EN ESPAÑOL - SOBRE TODO LO QUE OCURRE CON LA PANDEMIA DE CORONAVIRUS
1 pm. Update
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will hold a press conference today at 1 p.m.
We will bring you the conference live on WFTV Channel 9
>>>> TUNE LIVE WHEREVER YOU ARE <<<<
At 4pm. Orange County Mayor, Jerry Demings will hold a press conference. You can also see it live on Channel 9
President Trump will also have a press conference, along with the COVID-19 Task Force team around 5 p.m. We will also have this conference live on Channel 9.
12:40 p.m. update
The Florida Department of Health said two people have died from the coronavirus since last night.
Officials said the total number of reported COVID-19 cases increased by 214 to a total of 6,955.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
Of the cases, 6,694 cases involve Florida residents and 261 cases involve nonresidents.
The total number of deaths stands at 87.
Read: Coronavirus fact check: Are more men than women dying from COVID-19?
See a county-by-county breakdown of cases below, and click here to see a map of cases in Florida:
• Orange: 392 (373 last night)
• Seminole: 109 (103 last night)
• Brevard: 38 (37 last night)
• Osceola: 115 (110 last night)
• Lake: 67 (66 last night)
• Sumter: 52 (51 last night)
• Flagler: 20 (18 last night)
• Marion: 28 (25 last night)
• Polk: 76 (73 last night)
• Volusia: 80 (no change since last night)
Health officials said its COVID-19 testing site at the Orange County Convention Center reached capacity a little more than two hours after opening, so it closing for the day.
They said the number of tests are capped at 250. The testing site will reopen at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Click here to watch live, in-depth coronavirus coverage on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.
The Orange County Covid-19 drive-thru testing site at the @OCCC just shutdown for the day. It met the 250 limit on tests at 11:15am. The site opens at 9am but 100 people were already in line by 8am. It will be open again at 9am tomorrow. @WFTV
— Lauren Seabrook (@LSeabrookWFTV) April 1, 2020
"They've turned us into soldiers and sent us to the battlefield in bathing suits."
— Lauren Seabrook (@LSeabrookWFTV) April 1, 2020
That's what an Orlando doctor just told me about the lack of PPE (personal protective gear) while repeatedly being exposed to Covid-19 patients they're treating. A nationwide problem. @WFTV
11:40 a.m. update
Wimbledon was canceled on Wednesday because of the coronavirus pandemic, the first time since World War II that the oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament will not be played.
The All England Club announced after an emergency meeting that the event it refers to simply as The Championships is being scrapped for 2020.
Wimbledon was scheduled to be played on the club's grass courts on the outskirts of London from June 29 to July 12.
Read: Coronavirus: Wimbledon canceled for 2020
Instead, the next edition of the tournament will be June 28 to July 11, 2021.
Also Wednesday, the ATP and WTA announced that the men’s and women’s professional tennis tours would be suspended until at least July 13. They already had been on hold through June 7.
Wimbledon first was held in 1877 and has been contested every year since, with the exception of two stretches: from 1915-18 because of World War I, and from 1940-45 because of World War II. Click here to read more.
10:30 a.m. update
The U.S. Coast Guard has directed all cruise ships to prepare to treat any sick passengers and crew on board while being sequestered "indefinitely" offshore during the coronavirus pandemic.
The new rules require daily updates on each ship's caseload.
Read: Questions remain over Florida unemployment checks: When will they come? How much will they be?
They also come with a stiff warning: Any foreign-flagged vessels "that loiter beyond U.S. territorial seas" should try first to medically evacuate the very sick to the countries where they are registered.
Many of South Florida's cruise ships are registered in the Bahamas.
Read: Coronavirus: Fun things to do while social distancing
The Coast Guard says shore-side facilities are stressed and patients may be more comfortable being treated onboard.
8:31 a.m. update
A curfew has been put into place for Daytona Beach residents in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
The curfew will run from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on April 2 and last until April 8.
An overnight curfew for Daytona Beach residents has been established in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus....
Posted by The City of Daytona Beach Government on Wednesday, April 1, 2020
8:05 a.m. update
Osceola County officials will hold a 3 p.m. meeting in regards to food assistance for county residents amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Updates on the meeting can be found here.
Read: Coronavirus: Tyson Foods to pay $60M in bonuses to front-line workers, truckers amid pandemic
7:04 a.m update
Distance learning begins today for students in Marion County. Students around most of Central Florida began virtual learning Monday after returning from Spring Break.
Marion County students and parents can click here for additional information on the assignments.
4:41 a.m. update
The Florida Department of Health reported eight more deaths and 403 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state since Tuesday morning.
Officials said there are now a total of 6,741 cases and 85 deaths in the state, that is compared to 6,338 cases and 77 deaths reported since Tuesday morning.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Coronavirus cases in Florida
Of the cases, 6,490 involved Florida residents and 251 involve nonresidents.
Click here to see a statewide map of reported coronavirus cases.
Click here for a recap of Tuesday’s coverage.
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