Tensions are running high in Miami as it becomes the city with the most cases of coronavirus. Dr. Lilian Abbo, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Miami remarked:
“Miami is now the epicenter of the pandemic. What we were seeing in Wuhan five or six months ago, now we are there.”
Now it seems almost everyone in Miami knows someone who has coronavirus.
Florida reports 9,194 new cases of COVID-19 to bring Florida’s total to 291,629.
The positive rate for new cases rose to just over 15%
Most alarmingly, deaths hit a new daily high of 132 (a week ago today it was 63)
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) July 14, 2020
The numbers blew up after the state allowed businesses to reopen, earlier than several other states. Many people believe Governor Ron DeSantis’ strategy to downplay the pandemic helped lead to an increase in cases. Things boiled over Monday as a protester confronted the Republican (watch above). The Miami Herald reports:
A Miami-based activist interrupted a Monday press conference by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, calling attention to government shortcomings that intensified the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
“Shame on you,” he said. “You are an embarrassment… We’re getting record-breaking cases every day, and you are doing nothing.”
The heckler who cried out at DeSantis’ press conference at Jackson Memorial Hospital was Tomas Kennedy, the Florida director of United We Dream, a national immigrant advocacy group.
The Mayor of Miami Beach is also sounding the alarm.
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber: "For cryin' out loud, we had the VP here last week telling us that we're in a much better place and then immediately … we had the worst couple days in the history of the pandemic, anywhere in the world." pic.twitter.com/wlQEiW1wcb
— The Recount (@therecount) July 14, 2020
Florida Democratic state Rep. Shevrin Jones, who has coronavirus, calls the Governor’s lack of response “negligent,” saying it’s a “circle of chaos… no one seems to be leading the state of Florida.”
Florida Democratic state Rep. Shevrin Jones, who tested positive for coronavirus along with his family, says Gov. Ron DeSantis has been negligent.
“He has the power to afford a mandatory mask order. Has that happened? No. Have we asked for it? Yes we have.” pic.twitter.com/h05AvYrKFO
— CNN (@CNN) July 14, 2020
One of South Florida’s most well-known lawmakers, Congresswoman Donna Shalala (D-FL) is calling for the Governor to take immediate action to flatten the curve. Shalala, a former Secretary of Health and Human Services, said she’d like the state to shut down for up to three weeks. The NBC affiliate in Miami reports:
Health experts say a community should go into mitigation when public health officials can no longer contain the spread of the virus. Shalala says we’re there in South Florida. Florida health workers identified 15,000 new cases on Sunday and more than 12,000 new cases on Monday.
“We’re just going to all have to agree that we’re going to have to isolate ourselves for a couple of weeks. At least a couple of weeks. Drive this down or we’re going to have more and more tragedy,” Shalala said.
The outlet says DeSantis has not commented on Shalala’s recommendation.
