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TIMELINE: Coronavirus - Thursday, April 23

ORLANDO, Fla. — There’s more insight into the government’s second big stimulus package from one of the representatives who helped put it together.

See our in-depth coverage below:

Read live updates below:

BLOG EN ESPAÑOL - ÚLTIMA HORA, CORONAVIRUS, 23 abril:

10:30 p.m. update

Officials in Flagler County are bracing for financial hits to its sales tax because of the pandemic.

See the full story below:

Most COVID-19 deaths in Orange County not from underlying health conditions, officials say

7:30 p.m. update

Nearly a third of the people who have died from COVID-19 in Orange County did not have underlying health conditions, according to officials.

Most of the deaths were associated with hypertension and diabetes, but 31% had no prior medical issues.

Orange County Health Officer Dr. Raul Pino says although that percentage is high, the sample size in Orange County is low, which he says makes it hard to establish a cause.

See the full story below:


Total Florida COVID-19 cases near 30K with 142 new cases and 3 deaths in Central Florida since this morning

6:30 p.m. update

Florida health officials reported 816 new cases of COVID-19 in the state and 27 deaths since Thursday morning. There are now at total of 29,648 cases and 987 deaths in the state.

Of those cases, 142 were confirmed in Central Florida. Three of the deaths were also in Central Florida with one in each Volusia, Seminole and Brevard counties.

Health officials report that Florida has now surpassed 300,000 tests.

See a county-by-county breakdown of the latest case numbers below:

Orange: 1,274 (1,260 this morning)

Seminole: 340 (334 this morning)

Volusia: 420 (377 this morning)

Brevard: 235 (226 this morning)

Osceola: 449 (431 this morning)

Lake: 217 (214 this morning)

Sumter: 166 (165 this morning)

Marion: 145 (135 this morning)

Flagler: 106 (78 this morning)

Polk: 379 (369 this morning)

Group works to meet increase in need for Meals on Wheels in Brevard County

6:25 p.m. update

Aging Matters in Brevard was working hard to feed seniors before the coronavirus crisis, but now the need is growing due to the pandemic. Channel 9 reporter Mel Holt looks into how they’re addressing the need through the Meals on Wheels program in the video below:

Locals wait hours of coronavirus testing in Lake County

6:15 p.m. update

People waited in line for hours to get tested for COVID-19 at a new drive-thru testing location in Clermont on Thursday. Watch Channel 9 reporter Myrt Price’s full report below:

President Trump addresses nation

5:45 p.m. update

President Donald Trump and the Coronavirus Task Force is addressing the nation.

>>>CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE<<<

CareSpot Urgent Care centers offering COVID-19 testing

4:50 p.m. update

CareSpot Urgent Care centers in the Orlando area now offer COVID-19 evaluations and testing from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

Patients can call ahead, schedule online, or walk in at their convenience. Click here for a list of locations participating.

Several Florida supervisors of elections asking voters to cast ballots by mail

1:01 p.m. update

Several Florida supervisors of elections are asking voters to cast their ballots by mail later this year.

Florida’s primary election is August 18 and the general election is Nov. 3.

With the coronavirus, one issue will be to figure out how to set up polling locations with proper social distancing guidelines in place.

Leon County Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said more than 60% of his poll workers are over 60 years old, in the age group most susceptible to the disease.

Earley, who says one in seven Leon County residents usually vote by mail, wants people to ask for their ballots now, so his office is not overwhelmed with last-minute requests.

If that ramps up to a much greater percentage, especially if it is later near the election, we just won’t be able to process all of those requests in time. So, we are trying to get in front of that now," Earley said.

Seminole County officials distribute 67,000 masks to nearly 80 long-term care facilities

12:34 p.m. update

Seminole County officials distributed 67,000 masks to nearly 80 long-term care and nursing home facilities.

Seminole County mobile testing site rescheduled due to inclement weather

12:05 p.m. update

Seminole County officials have rescheduled Friday’s mobile testing site to April 30 due to inclement weather.

The site was scheduled at Lincoln Heights in Sanford.

Officials also said they have tested 183 patients at the mobile testing site Thursday.

Florida updates COVID-19 cases

11:32 a.m. update

The Florida Department of Health reported 33 coronavirus-related deaths and 256 new COVID-19 cases statewide since Wednesday evening.

Officials said the total number of cases in Florida has reached 28,832 and the death toll now stands at 960.

The Florida Department of Health reported one death in Lake County and one death in Polk County.

Of the cases, 28,043 are Florida residents and 789 are nonresidents, health officials said.

See a county-by-county breakdown of cases below:

NEW CASES:

Orange: 1,260 (1,258 last night)

Seminole: 334 (333 last night)

Volusia: 377 (376 last night)

Osceola: 431 (427 last night)

Sumter: 165 (164 last night)

Marion: 135 (132 last night)

Polk: 369 (364 last night)

NO CHANGE:

Brevard: 226

Lake: 214

Flagler: 78

Click here to see a map of positive cases in Florida.

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.

Unemployment numbers

9:45 a.m. update

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that Americans filed 4.4 million jobless claims last week.

Since mid-March, 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits.

Americans filed 4.4 million jobless claims last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday, continuing a five-week wave of massive layoffs caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Seminole County officials to give update

8:30 a.m. update

Seminole County officials will give an update on the coronavirus pandemic at 2 p.m.

New testing locations in Central Florida

5:55 a.m. update

There are a few new testing locations in Central Florida.

Lake County officials are opening a new testing site at the Cooper Memorial Library at UCF South Lake. Testing will cost $20.

The locations will test people with or without symptoms.

AdventHealth is opening another testing site at Osceola Heritage Par in Kissimmee.

Anyone who has symptoms of the virus or has been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 can get tested.

Tests are free but you must make an appointment. The testing site is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends.

People are getting there test results back in two to three days.

To find other testing sites, click here.

Read: Coronavirus: Where COVID-19 testing is available in Central Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis to meet with Task Force

5:34 a.m. update

Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to meet with his Task Force to discuss four more industries and how to safely get them back to work.

On Wednesday, the governor heard from theme park leaders.

They discussed ways the parks could change in order to make it safer for both guests and employees.

They’re also discussing staggering seats on rides, employing more virtual lines and face coverings.

Orange County mobile testing site moves to Barnett Park

4:15 a.m. update

On Thursday, the mobile testing site will move to Barnett Park.

No symptom criteria is required for testing at the mobile testing sites, but appointments are mandatory and individuals must be 18 years and older.

Residents can secure an appointment for testing by calling the DOH-Orange’s COVID-19 Call Center at 407-723-5004. The Call Center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day.

The rest of the week’s mobile testing schedule is below:

Friday, April 24: West Orange Park, 150 Windermere Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787

Read: Coronavirus: Where COVID-19 testing is available in Central Florida

Click here to watch live, in-depth coverage on Channel 9 Eyewitness News, and click here to read a timeline of what happened Wednesday.

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.

Katlyn Brieskorn, WFTV.com

Katlyn Brieskorn is a Digital Assignment Editor at WFTV. She joined Channel 9 in July 2019.

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