Associated Press
Brightline has suspended its service in South Florida due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.
The company announced on Twitter that the last trains were running on Wednesday evening. The high speed train runs between Miami and West Palm Beach with a stop in Fort Lauderdale.
“Like all businesses, we are operating in a period of uncertainty which may last several months,” Brightline president Patrick Goddard said in a news release. “Although a difficult decision, we have decided to temporarily suspend Brightline service in the best interest of the entire South Florida community as we all seek to flatten the curve.”
The company said it will follow the lead of the Centers for Disease Control, federal and local agencies in deciding when the trains will run again.
The populous counties in South Florida have been especially hard-hit by COVID-19, accounting for about half of the state’s reported cases of the virus.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.
