As COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed across the state in the last month, Oakland Park has seen its own numbers dramatically rise.
“It’s with great concern that I hear the reported number of cases of COVID-19 significantly increased to 343. We continue to educate our residents on the need to consistently social distance and wear their masks,” said Tim Lonergan, Oakland Park City Commissioner. “This is the temporary new normal, for the long-term, until the pandemic is under control.”
As of Tuesday, according to the Florida Department of Health, the total number of cases in Oakland Park now stands at 343. A week ago that number stood at 227 – more than a 50% increase.
“We are pleading with the public at this point, if we can’t reduce the spread we will be forced to return to a more restrictive phase 1,” said the Mayor of Oakland Park, Matthew Sparks. “I believe we will see another Emergency Order from the County on Wednesday.”
Sparks said he participates in a weekly phone call with the mayors of other Broward County municipalities and they’re worried about how the increase in COVID-19 caes will impact the local hospitals.
“As of yesterday we have been advised that with the increase in numbers our biggest concern is we do not have the hospital staff to continue to support the number of increasing cases,” Sparks said. “The State is receiving Federal support by the way of 1,500 additional nurses but that is 1,500 for the entire State.”
Over the past 30 days the number of cases has tripled in the city.
At the end of May new weekly cases in Oakland Park had slowed to a trickle. Now they’re on the rise again.
“Until we all respect the severity of the situation at hand and consider our individual actions on the health and well-being of ourselves and others, we continue to risk passing on the virus and requiring the potential need for another shut-down,” Lonergan said.
As Broward County and the rest of the state have reopened, Florida has set multiple records for the number of daily coronavirus cases in the last 30 days.
“When visiting and supporting our local businesses, I ask our residents to please be sure to adhere to the safety guidelines,” Lonergan said. “Please don’t put them at risk of being fined and temporarily closed.”
According to FDOH as of Tuesday, 22,595 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Broward County, almost triple the number from 30 days ago.
In Fort Lauderdale there have been 4,971 up from 1,784, 30 days ago. Next door in Wilton Manors, meanwhile, has seen a more moderate rise in cases from 30 days ago, 159 today, compared to 118, 30 days ago.
There are 213,794 confirmed cases in Florida, more than 3 million in the U.S., and globally more than 11.8 million. So far there have been 3,841 deaths in Florida, 133,000 in the U.S. and globally more than 543,000.
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