Alyssa Ramos

Engage Miami, an organization promoting youth civic engagement, has received nearly $400,000 worth of grant funding from the Southern Poverty Law Center to expand voter outreach efforts.

State health officials reported 1,606 new COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths Monday bringing Florida’s total to more than 2.3 million infections and more than 37,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. As of Monday morning, more than 10 million people in Florida have received a vaccine including more than two million who have received a first dose and more than 7.9 million who have completed a two-dose vaccine series or received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.The state Department of Economic Opportunity announced Monday that unemployed Floridians will no longer receive the additional $300 dollars a week in federal unemployment assistance beginning in late June. The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program isn’t slated to sunset until early September, but state officials are cutting off jobless residents early as part of what they’re dubbing a “return to work” initiative.Florida unemployment rate inched up slightly to 4.8% in April as restaurants across the state are reporting labor shortages. The leisure and hospitality sectors are recovering more slowly than other industries in Florida.Norwegian Cruise Line plans to resume voyages from ports on the West Coast, Central America and the Caribbean starting in August. Norwegian is pulling its business from ports in Florida because Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill banning businesses from requiring proof of vaccination, even though the federal government requires that 98% of a cruise ship’s crew and 95% of passengers be vaccinated before setting sail.

State health officials reported 5,556 new COVID-19 infections and 70 deaths on Wednesday. So far more than 6.6 million people in Florida have been vaccinated including more than 2.7 million people who have received a first dose and more than 3.9 million people who have completed the series or received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.Lee County’s COVID-19 vaccination site is moving next week to the old Sears location at the Edison Mall. Starting Friday, eligible Sarasota County residents will be able to receive the vaccine without an appointment at the county’s vaccine clinic site at Sarasota Square Mall.Governors of other states across the political spectrum have publicly received a vaccine in an effort to combat vaccine hesitancy and assure people that the shots are safe, but Governor Ron DeSantis’ office confirms that DeSantis received the vaccine last week in private.Florida is beginning to provide COVID-19 vaccine doses to prison inmates.The Norwegian Cruise line intends to begin resuming some sailings by July 4. All passengers and crew members will be required to get vaccinated in order to board a ship.

State health officials reported 4,113 new COVID-19 cases Monday and 159 deaths, bringing the total number of infections to more than 1.8 million and bringing the death toll over the 30,000-fatality mark. Hospitals across Florida are experiencing a decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations, mirroring a national trend.U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate after Gov. Ron DeSantis authorized a state-run pop-up vaccine clinic limited to residents of an affluent, mostly white and Republican community in Manatee County.Four federal mass vaccination sites are coming to Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa.The city of Sarasota voted, last week, to allow its current mask mandate to sunset on Thursday.

State health officials reported 7,925 COVID-19 cases, Wednesday, for a total of 905,248 cases. The Florida Department of Health also reported 87 new coronavirus-related deaths, Nov. 18, increasing the statewide death toll to 17,949 fatalities.Over the past seven days, the single-day average number of new infections reported has increased to nearly 6,735 cases. The average number of daily deaths reported over the past week now stands at nearly 56 fatalities a day.

State health officials reported 2,582 new COVID-19 cases, Wednesday, bringing Florida's total to 722,707 cases. The Florida Department of Health also reported 137 new coronavirus-related deaths, Oct. 7, increasing the statewide death toll to 15,084 fatalities.Of the 5,466,927 COVID-19 tests that have been reported in Florida so far, the overall positivity rate reduced slightly to 13.22% and the latest single day positivity rate fell to 4.14%.

State health officials reported 2,251 new COVID-19 cases, Tuesday, bringing Florida's total to 720,125 infections. The Florida Department of Health also reported 55 new coronavirus-related deaths, Oct. 6, increasing the statewide death toll to 14,945 fatalities.Of the more than 5.4 million COVID-19 tests that have been reported in Florida so far, the overall positivity rate stands at 13.24% and the latest single-day positivity rate increased to 5.21%.

The Florida Department of Health reported 2,583 new COVID-19 cases in Florida, Sunday, increasing the statewide total to 621,586 cases.State health officials also reported 14 new coronavirus-related deaths of Florida residents, Aug. 30, bringing the statewide death toll to 11,263 fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic. Sunday's increase in deaths marks the lowest single-day increase in COVID-related fatalities since June 22.