Drew Dixon
The Florida Department of Health reported 31 new cases of the novel coronavirus in Duval County Thursday evening, bringing the total to 776.
The increase came as Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry announced the city will re-open public parks and beaches Friday.
The number of people hospitalized remains steady at 69.
Deaths are also unchanged since Tuesday, remaining at 14.
Curry said in a Thursday news conference he felt the time was right to ease restrictions.
“This can be the beginning of the pathway back to normal life,” Curry said Thursday.
Residents going to beaches and parks should be “participating in recreational activities consistent with social distancing guidelines such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, running, swimming, taking care of pets and surfing.”
Sunbathing and drinking alcohol are prohibited.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville reopened its coronavirus testing center at a parking lot outside TIAA Bank Field Thursday. The site was closed Easter and intermittently remained closed due to weather.
Other First Coast counties showed moderate increases in cases Thursday. Clay County increased from 170 cases Wednesday to 184 Thursday night. St. Johns County went from 178 to 182 and Nassau County inched up from 37 to 40. Baker County had no new cases, hospitalizations or deaths.
There are 1,199 cases throughout the region of which 30 have died.
Statewide 23,340 cases have been reported including 668 deaths and 3,458 hospitalizations.
