Florida announces two coronavirus deaths
Florida health officials said late Friday two people have died from coronavirus in the Sunshine State.
One of the deaths, in Lee County on the Gulf Coast, was one of three new “presumptive positive” cases, the Florida Department of Health said. The Centers for Disease Control has yet to confirm the virus testing done by state labs in these cases.
Another death was a “previously announced case” in Santa Rosa County, near Pensacola, that declined, officials said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday the Santa Rosa County man was believed to be older than 70 with underlying health conditions. He had traveled internationally, he said.
“He’s not in shape to fully answer all the questions,” the governor said, “so there’s an investigation ongoing.”
The deaths bring the nationwide number of fatalities blamed on coronavirus to 17.
Facebook banning ads for medical masks
Facebook’s head of ads and business products said Friday that the social media giant is banning ads and commerce listings for medical masks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend masks or respirators for the general public.
Hawaii’s first case was Grand Princess cruise passenger
Hawaii hare reported its first confirmed case of coronavirus.
The patient was on the Grand Princess cruise ship, now docked off the coast of San Francisco, Gov. David Ige said at news conference. The traveler disembarked last month in Mexico and flew home to Honolulu, officials said.
The ship made four stops in Hawaii in February and carried at least four passengers from Hawaii. State officials want anyone who was on the ship to “self-quarantine.”
Last month officials said a couple from Japan was diagnosed with the virus after visiting Hawaii. But state officials have not officially counted the cases as originating in the Aloha State, and the exact source of the pair’s exposure remained a mystery.
Postmates rolls out ‘no contact delivery’ option
The food delivery company Postmates on Friday announced a “non-contact delivery” option amid fears of the coronavirus illness COVID-19.
“Customers can now choose if they’d like to receive their order at the door or curbside or say they’d prefer for it to just be left at the door. The fleet member will be alerted to their preference at the time of delivery,” a Postmates spokesperson said in an email. The company also announced it on its blog.
Instacart on Thursday said it would offer a “Leave at My Door Delivery” option and that it had seen a surge in recent days in demand for powdered milk, canned goods, hand sanitizer and vitamins.
DoorDash also has a feature enabling requests for food to be left at the door along with a photo of where the food should be left through the app, the company said.
‘They’re keeping us in the dark’: Coronavirus response enrages families
Kevin Connolly is one of several people with loved ones at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, where several residents of the long-term care facility and those affiliated with it have fallen ill.
It’s quickly become a center for the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by virus.
Seven residents have died, and tests for others are pending. Some seemingly healthy residents, such as Connolly’s father-in-law, Jerry Wall, 81, are still waiting to be tested for the virus that has infected more than 101,000 worldwide and killed more than 3,400. Older adults, especially those with underlying health conditions, are most at risk for complications.
“I don’t know why it’s taking so long for those test kits to get there,” Connolly told NBC News. He said health officials have not communicated effectively about what’s happening at the Life Care Center.
Connecticut confirms first case
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont confirmed the state’s first coronavirus case Friday evening in a tweet.
The New York resident, an employee of Danbury Hospital and Norwalk Hospital, tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. The patient is currently under self-quarantine.
The two hospitals are both part of the Nuvance Health care system, NBC Connecticut reported.
“Our multidisciplinary team across Nuvance Health is working closely together to ensure we are prepared for this quickly evolving outbreak,” Dr. Valerie Cluzet, infectious disease specialist at Nuvance Health, said Thursday in a statement. “Effective communication and staying informed are both essential to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.”
At least 200 people in Connecticut have been advised to self-monitor for signs of coronavirus, a spokesperson for the governor told NBC Connecticut.
Pence reports 21 people tested positive on cruise ship
Vice President Mike Pence said Friday that 21 people aboard a cruise ship that’s being held off the coast of California have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The California Air National Guard had delivered 46 tests to the Grand Princess, which has been offshore since Wednesday. Of the 46 passengers tested, Pence said 21 people, 19 employees and two passengers, had tested positive. Twenty-four tested negative, and one was inconclusive, Pence said.
There are over 3,500 people on board the ship, which is anchored near San Francisco.
