JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Florida surpassed 25,400 on Saturday with 739 new cases added in the last 24 hours, according to the Department of Health’s running total.
On Friday, the state saw its highest one-day increase in new cases since testing began when cases jumped by more than 1,400 in Florida in a 24 hour period.
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As of Saturday evening, no new deaths were reported in Northeast Florida in the last 24 hours. There have been a total of 36 deaths out of 1,711 cases in the area. Deaths reported due to the virus have reached 748 in the state.
Of those 25,492 people in Florida who have tested positive for COVID-19, 3,745 have been hospitalized.
In Northeast Florida, Duval County leads the region with 835 cases. It’s followed by Clay (223), Alachua (205), St. Johns (188), Flagler (66), Putnam (55), Nassau (42), Bradford (42), Columbia (36), Baker (17) and Union (2) counties.
Even as authorities in Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach, along with neighboring St. Johns County, reopen public beaches for exercise, they’re warning residents not to slip back into old habits.
“How long these beaches remain open is 100% up to the beachgoers,” Jacksonville Beach Mayor Charlie Latham said at a Friday morning news conference. “If we have to close the beach again, we’ll do it. Safety is still our top priority.”
Latham’s remarks echoed those made by Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry when he announced Thursday afternoon that Duval County’s beaches would reopen.
“This can be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life,” Mayor Curry said in a statement Thursday. “Please respect and follow these limitations. Stay within the guidelines for your safety as well as for the safety of your neighbors.”
After reopening, a crowd flocked to Jacksonville Beach, and the same could be said in St. Johns County.
Here’s a photo taken at Jacksonville Beach on Saturday:
Notably, beaches in nearby Nassau County remain closed. County officials expressed concerns Friday about Curry’s decision and said they plan to monitor what happens in Jacksonville moving forward.
On Saturday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that K-12 students in the state will not return to campuses for the rest of the current school year.