It’s Tuesday, March 17th – and NBC 6 has the top stories you need to know for the day.
No. 1 - Florida Department of Health officials confirmed more positive coronavirus cases Monday, bringing the total number in the state to 160.
142 Florida residents had tested positive in the state for COVID-19. Another 18 non-Florida residents have also tested positive in the state, while 6 Florida residents have tested positive outside the state. With the new cases, Broward still leads the state with 39 confirmed cases, while Miami-Dade has 23, according to the health department.
No. 2 - Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that a drive-thru testing facility will soon open at a hospital in Broward County, the hardest-hit county from the new coronavirus, as the state seeks to boost testing capacity.
More than 170 National Guard personnel have deployed in Broward County, and some 300 additional Guard members are soon to be activated to help with drive-thru testing. The drive-thru testing facility will be set up in cooperation with the Memorial Healthcare System.
No. 3 - The city of Miami plans to close restaurant dining rooms and bars beginning Tuesday to help curb the spread of coronavirus.
Mayor Francis Suarez, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week and has quarantined himself, said Monday that delivery, take-out and drive-through orders are still allowed. The measure will take effect Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. Miami-Dade County on Sunday announced that bars and clubs are to be closed by 11 p.m., but delivery and take-out are still allowed.
Local
No. 4 - Tuesday's Florida primary is still scheduled to go on as planned even as the state continues to ramp up its efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
State elections officials said they have been working with the state health department to ensure that polling places are clean, and that they're safe for poll workers and voters. 219 delegates are at stake in Florida’s race, which could be a knockout blow for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders if he loses.
No. 5 - One of the final sporting events still on Florida’s schedule in the coming weeks is no longer taking place as planned.
On Monday, World Wrestling Entertainment announced that its annual WrestleMania event scheduled for April 5th inside Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium has been moved over concerns with the growing coronavirus pandemic. All events associated with WrestleMania 36 throughout the city have been cancelled. The WWE will still hold the event, moving it to their performance center in Orlando.
No. 6 – Weatherwise, an isolated shower and patchy fog dominate Tuesday morning ahead of a dry and warm afternoon in a forecast similar to what you will see the rest of the week. Keep your NBC 6 app handy for push alerts on any severe weather as well as First Alert Doppler 6000.
