Miami-Dade County is reinforcing coronavirus restrictions as Florida faces a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
On Monday, Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced restaurants, ballrooms, banquet facilities, party venues, gyms and short-term rentals will be closing again. Under the initial order, restaurants were limited to take-out and delivery orders. But Gimenez later updated that allowing restaurants to still serve dine-in customers if they use outdoor seating and maintain a limited seating capacity.
Offices, retail stores and personal grooming businesses can also stay open. Beaches are set to reopen Tuesday, but Gimenez said he'll close them again if the public can't follow guidelines. Other outdoor spaces, such as condo and hotel pools, summer camps, and day care centers, can stay open for now. But Gimenez said that's only if they follow strict guidance about social distancing, masks and capacity limits.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Florida have risen significantly in recent weeks. Officials reported just over 6,000 new cases Sunday, and the day prior the Sunshine State set a new state record for the most new cases reported in a single day: 11,458.
Gimenez said county medical experts are tracking a spike in cases involving 18-to-34-year-olds that began in mid-June. They've attributed it to people not taking precautions like wearing masks and practicing social distancing. The mayor asked Miami-Dade residents to follow the rules so the county can stop the spread of COVID-19.
Miami-Dade County has been under a nightly curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. since July 3. The new closure order takes effect Wednesday.
