Florida coronavirus updates: Test site to open at Hard Rock Stadium; third person dead in Broward; virus also hits middle school

A drive-thru Coronavirus/COVID-19 testing site is set to open at 9 a.m. Monday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

The stadium, which just last month hosted the Super Bowl, will provide testing only for those who are 65 or older and who have COVID-19 symptoms and first responders and healthcare workers, which includes firefighters, law enforcement and corrections workers, and medical staff.

According to a press release from the Florida Association of Public Information Officers and Florida PIO Deployment Team, nurses will screen people for eligibility and those who don’t meet the criteria will be turned away. For those who are eligible to be tested, the Florida Army National Guard will conduct nasal swabs and test results will be available in about 48 to 72 hours.

The testing site will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday in the East Parking Lot at Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Dr., Miami Gardnes.

Meanwhile, a person from a Pembroke Pines middle school has tested positive for the new coronavirus, news that came the same day as Broward’s third death from the virus.

Broward County Public Schools said they learned about the case at Walter C. Young Middle School from the Florida Department of Health. However, the district would not say whether the person is a student or employee. The individual was last present on campus March 12.

“At this time, we cannot provide any additional information,” the school district said in an email when questioned.

The state health department “will contact any individuals who require further information,” the district said in its announcement.

That development came hours after news that a third person had died in Broward County, pushing the death total statewide to 12. All three deaths have been linked to the same assisted-living facility in Fort Lauderdale.

The county also saw 36 more people test positive for the disease, an increase to 164 since Friday, data released Saturday evening shows.

A 96-year-old woman, who was a resident of Atria Willow Wood, is the third confirmed coronavirus death in Broward, according to the governor’s office. The two others, in the same facility, were a 92-year-old man and a 77-year-old man.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said seven other seniors from Willow Wood have been infected, and four other residents were awaiting test results.

The facility didn’t properly screen construction workers, staff and cooks who were allowed to work their jobs unimpeded while being sick, DeSantis said.

“We stressed from the very beginning ... that we had to protect the senior citizens in our nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, that’s why we issued those guidelines,” the governor said at a news conference Saturday.

“If you’re in this business to take care of people who may be susceptible to this, you shouldn’t need to have someone breathing down your neck. You should do the right thing and protect the folks in Florida who are most vulnerable," DeSantis added.

Atria Senior Living has defended the facility’s actions, saying the governor’s criticism is "a completely inaccurate representation of our response to protect the health and safety of our residents.” Atria said that since March 3, it has screened all visitors and prohibited anyone from working in the community "if they are unable to pass our screening, well before any state guidance on this was provided.”

Latest developments

Drive-thru testing for the coronavirus continued to be busy Saturday. At C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines, one of three Broward locations, park capacity was reached by 1:20 p.m. Those still in line were asked to come back at 9 a.m. Sunday. Strict testing criteria includes first responders; people over 65 showing symptoms that include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing; and anyone who traveled recently and came into contact with people having symptoms.

There’s been confusion over the shutdown of so-called “non-essential” businesses in Broward and Palm Beach counties. The state wants all bowling alleys, arcades, gymnasiums, fitness studios and beaches closed through March 31.

Florida leaders have yet to call for a “shelter in place” order for residents. But citizens in California, New York and Illinois are already dealing with restrictive measures.

Florida’s tourism industry is taking a beating during the pandemic. And the Seminole Tribe announced Friday it was closing all of its casinos, including the Hard Rock in Hollywood and Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.

Shuttered businesses could leave thousands of people in financial need. Various companies, nonprofits and government assistance agencies are offering aid to consumers.

Wondering where to get tested for the new coronavirus? Here’s our guide to drive-thru sites.

Dozens of South Florida restaurants remained open for delivery or pickup.

By the numbers

There are now 763 documented cases of the new coronavirus statewide, according to state figures released Saturday. That includes a third death in Broward, out of 12 total fatalities in Florida.

In South Florida, Miami-Dade has 169 cases, Broward 164 and Palm Beach County 56. There have been no reported deaths in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach.

In the United States, there are over 24,000 confirmed cases, with at least 285 deaths.

There are more than 303,000 confirmed cases worldwide in more than 100 countries and territories, with more than 12,760 deaths.

The number of documented cases in a given location is not necessarily an accurate reflection of the actual number of infected persons.

In South Florida, a well documented testing bottleneck and the likely existence of widespread community transmission means that the number of infected persons may well be much higher than the total number of documented cases.

However, given the limited data, reliable estimates of the total number of infected persons in the state are not currently available as of Saturday, March 21.

Do you have insider information on how public officials, government agencies or companies have handled the response to the coronavirus crisis? Our reporters want to hear from you. To submit a confidential news tip, click here.

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More resources

Get the most updated information about coronavirus in Florida: Florida Department of Health website at floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/COVID-19. Or call the Florida COVID-19 call center at 866-779-6121 or email [email protected].

Get the most updated information about the virus in the United States: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.

To get tested

If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19, you should contact your county health department (floridahealth.gov/chdepicontact) and take these steps:

Seek medical advice: Call ahead before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room. Tell them about your recent travel and your symptoms.

Avoid contact with others.

Avoid travel.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoid spreading the virus to others.

Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

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