Officials report more COVID-19 cases in Miami-Dade County

Miami mayor’s COVID-19 case remains under investigation

MIAMI – Amid the global pandemic, the Florida Department of Health announced early Saturday morning there are six positive cases of COVID-19 in Miami-Dade County.

Additionally, Department of Health also confirmed 20 positive cases of coronavirus involving Broward County residents. Gov. Ron DeSantis said there were 11 cases on Friday.

Seven patients, ages 22 to 83, have cases under investigation and six patients, ages 28 to 75, have cases that were not related to travel. Authorities reported five cases were linked to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale.

Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez, 42, announced he was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, and he said he was feeling the symptoms of the common cold.

Suarez’s case is among the five cases epidemiologists are investigating. He said he was tested after learning he had been in contact with a Brazilian official who was diagnosed with COVID-19 after visiting South Florida.

“I may have shaken his hand. I may have had a brief conversation with him. I mean there were a lot of people ... It’s also possible that it didn’t happen there ... it’s possible that it happened somewhere else,” Suarez said.

The other patient is a 37-year-old man who recently traveled to Europe, officials said.

The Saturday morning DOH reports showed the positive cases of COVID-19 in Florida had surged to 83 -- and include three deaths. Six were Florida residents diagnosed and isolated outside of Florida, seven were non-Florida residents and 70 identified as Florida residents.

Here is the list of Miami-Dade County patients released at 12:54 a.m.:

UNDER INVESTIGATION

  • Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez, 42, announced he was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday. His case is under investigation.
  • Man, 51, is patient whose case remains under investigation.
  • Woman, 39, is patient whose case remains under investigation.
  • Man, 43, is a patient whose case remains under investigation.
  • Woman, 77, is a patient whose case remains under investigation.

TRAVEL RELATED

  • Man, 37, is a patient whose case is associated with travel to Europe.

About the Author:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.