STATEWIDE — The number of positive coronavirus cases in Florida eclipsed 1,000 on Sunday, while TSA says a fourth Orlando worker has tested positive.

As of Sunday evening, there were 1,007 COVID-19 cases, with 937 Florida residents and another 70 people who are nonresidents of Florida but have been tested and isolated here. Of more than 11,000 coronavirus tests administered, 933 are pending.

Thirteen Floridians have died.

According to Florida Health Department data released Sunday night, it's not only older people who have been exposed the coronavirus.

In Hillsborough County, there are 58 COVID-19 cases, with 54 residents and 4 nonresidents, according to the data. Most of the Hillsborough patients are younger people: 17 are between the ages of 20-29, and another 15 patients are between 30-39 years old.


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In Pinellas County, there are 38 positive cases, and another 25 test results pending. There are 8 COVID-19 patients between the ages of 20-29, and 22 patients between the ages of 50-69.

And in Orange County, the age demographic with the highest number of cases is the 40-49 age group, with 9 cases. Another 7 patients are between 30-39 years old.

Dade County has the most COVID-19 cases in the state at 227. The age group with the highest number of COVID-19 cases is the 30-39 age group, with 50 cases. Another 46 patients are in the 40-49 age group.

Students at multiple Florida universities have COVID-19. Ten students and one employee at the University of Florida in Gainesville, six students at University of Tampa, at least on UCF student, and one student at USF St. Petersburg have tested positive, the schools announced. The University of Miami also said a student had the virus. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday afternoon spoke from South Florida, where a coronavirus drive-thru testing site is set to open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Monday.

DeSantis said two types of people will get priority: first responders and health care workers, and anyone older than 65 years old who have symptoms.

"I think it's important to expand testing as much as possible. Right now, it's a matter of supply, it's not a matter of will. We want to do it. We're working on plans to be able to do it," DeSantis said.

He continued to underscore social distancing and wants Floridians to continue to take precautions.

"This is not a disease like the measles where you just happen to walk past somebody or even be in the same room as them and breathe in and catch it. It's not as contagious as that. It something to do with close contact," DeSantis said.

A similar site opened in Jacksonville on Saturday. A third federally-run testing site, manned by the National Guard, will open in Central Florida in a parking lot at the Orange County Convention Center later this week. BayCare in the Tampa Bay area has set up its own series of private testing sites.

Late Sunday night, the state Department of Environmental Protection said it will close all state parks to the public starting Monday. The agency said measures it's taken so far to reduce population density, such as limiting operating hours and capacity at busy parks "unfortunately has not resulted in the reductions needed to best protect public health and safety as Florida continues to mitigate the spread of COVID-19."

Florida has faced criticism from in-state residents as well as media abroad, showing pictures of spring breakers and other people packing Florida beaches and parks.

The DEP didn't say when state parks would reopen, only that "we look forward to welcoming you again to our award winning state parks as soon as possible."

For more information, you can call 850-245-2157.

National, international developments

  • In the U.S. Senate, a key procedural vote that would have advanced the huge stimulus package failed Sunday night, blocked by Senate Democrats. The vote was 47-47, and lawmakers needed to clear 60 votes for it to succeed. Talks on the deal were to continue into the evening.
  • Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has become the first sitting Senate member to publicly say he has COVID-19. He said he was feeling fine and in quarantine. Paul, a deficit hawk, was among eight Senate Republicans who voted against a House-passed bill last week that provided more than $100 billion to boost testing for the coronavirus and guarantee paid sick leave for millions of workers. Four other GOP senators are in self-quarantine or isolation: Sens. Mike Lee and Mitt Romney of Utah, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Florida Sen. Rick Scott.
  • As calls for postponing the Tokyo Olympics have grown louder, the International Olympic Committee on Sunday acknowledged it's looking at the possibility. The 2020 Olympics are still currently set for July 24-August 9. IOC President Thomas Bach has consistently said organizers are committed to opening the games on time despite athlete training, qualifying events, and games preparations being disrupted by the virus outbreak.
  • Opera singer Placido Domingo and disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein said Sunday they have tested positive for the coronavirus. Domingo said he has a fever and cough, but he and his family are in self-isolation. Weinstein is in isolation in a correctional facility in Erie County, New York.
  • Marriott says it's furloughing about two-thirds of its corporate workforce both nationally and internationally. It has about 4,000 corporate workers in Bethesda, Maryland, and a totally of 174,000 workers worldwide. The furloughs were expected to begin in April and last up to 90 days.
  • Louisiana's governor has issued a statewide "stay at home" directive, ordering all 4.6 million people to stay at home starting at 5 p.m. Monday unless they're performing an essential task like getting food or medicine.