Ryan Nicol
Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy Morales is extending the city’s emergency measures through July 1 as the novel coronavirus continues to spread in the region.
“COVID-19 is still very active in Miami-Dade County,” read a release from the city Thursday. “Businesses must adhere to the mandatory guidelines for reopening that have been promulgated by both the City of Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County.”
Those restrictions include social distancing mandates requiring people stay 6 feet away from others.
Miami Beach has begun to open some businesses such as restaurants and retail establishments in recent weeks. Beaches have also opened.
Earlier this month, however, Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said he would not move forward with any additional reopening measures due to the recent rise in cases. The city has not yet begun pulling back on areas of the city that have been reopened.
Miami Beach originally declared a state of emergency on March 12. The city has been among the most cautious of any South Florida city when it comes to COVID-19 safety measures.
City officials followed the state of emergency with a stay-at-home order on March 23. In the ensuing two weeks, Miami Beach begin implementing strict safety measures for customers and employees at essential businesses.
Coronavirus cases have risen throughout the state in recent weeks. The same is especially true in South Florida.
Miami-Dade has been part of that troubling trend.
From June 11 to 17, Miami-Dade added an average of 420 cases per day and had an overall positivity rate of 8.7% in that span.
The next week, from June 18 to 24, the county had an average of 716 new cases per day with a positivity rate of 14.6%.
