Miami new ‘epicentre of the pandemic’ as Florida coronavirus cases surge

A top Florida doctor has said the state's surging number of Covid-19 cases is turning Miami into the world's epicenter of the pandemic.

Dr Lilian Abbo, the chief for infection prevention at Jackson Health System, said on Monday that Floridians need to work together to contain the crisis.

“Miami is now the epicenter of the pandemic. What we were seeing in Wuhan (China) six months ago. Now, we are there,” Dr Abbo said during an online press conference with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

Dr. Aileen Marty, an epidemiologist at Florida International University, added that the state's situation is “extremely grave.”

“They have not adhered to guidelines,” she said. “They have been in those closed spaces without taking the appropriate precautions, and that’s the main reason we are where we are.”

On Monday Florida more than 12,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases. This after a record-setting weekend, with a national record of more than 15,000 cases reported on Sunday in the state.

Florida has registered more than 282,435 cases overall, and 4,381 people have died in the state from the coronavirus since March 1.

South Florida has seen the bulk of these cases. Its three counties Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, make up about a quarter of the state's population but have recorded about half of all new cases.

While Governor Ron DeSantis acknowledged the virus is spreading rapidly in the state, he urged the public to keep calm.

“We have to address the virus with steady resolve. We can’t get swept away in fear, we have to understand what is going on, understand that we have a long road ahead but we also have to understand that within the context of the moment,” he said.

Mayor Gimenez has said he's waiting to see whether current restaurant restrictions, 10pm curfew and countywide mask order help stabilize the numbers before forcing more businesses to close.

“If we simply follow the rules, and keep our masks on and keep our distance, wash our hands, that we’ve opened can be done in a relatively safe way. ... Right now, I don’t have any intention of going further," Gimenez said, as reported by the Miami Herald.

Florida Democrats also met on Monday to discuss Miami's response to the pandemic.

“I hope that the governor and mayor will come to their senses and work with all of us to act quickly,” said Miami-Dade Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.

Despite the concerning surge in coronavirus cases, the state's Disney World parks in Orlando opened their doors again over the weekend.

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