COVID-19 cases climb to almost 18,000 in Florida

The number of cases of COVID-19 crept to nearly 18,000 as of Friday evening. And more than 400 state residents have now died.

The most recent data released by the Florida Department of Health shows 17,968 have tested positive in the state.

The cases include 2,496 individuals who remain hospitalized.

The death toll of residents climbed to 419; that’s 29 more than were reported Friday morning.

The numbers come out as relief efforts continue throughout the state, from the release of college relief money to waivers for SNAP recipients allowing the purchase of groceries online.

But the infections are continuing to reach even public servants tasked with protecting children.

A worker at a Broward County juvenile-detention center has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the state juvenile-justice system to three. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice said Friday the newest case involves an employee of the Broward Regional Juvenile Detention Center but did not provide further details. All three confirmed cases in the juvenile-justice system have involved workers and not youths. The other cases have been at the Broward Youth Treatment Center and the Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center.

Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to face criticism over misspeaking about whether COVID-19 can kill children. But state officials also deal with growing stress on the health care and unemployment systems.

Florida officials have taken over responsibility for federal testing sites in Jacksonville, Orange County, and the Miami area.

The Orange County Convention Center and Hard Rock Stadium, in addition to Jacksonville’s Lot J, will be kept going, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday.

“All three of those sites are going to continue,” DeSantis said, with “expanded criteria.”

Lot J, previously capped at 250 tests a day for a limited pool of potentially infected people, had already been expanded to 400.

Orlando and Miami had “more demand than that,” DeSantis said, saying 250 would no longer be the hard cap.