FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Gov. Ron DeSantis has dropped a $27.5 million fine against Special Olympics over vaccine mandates, but the charity could pay in other ways.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health are investigating what is being called one of the worst outbreaks of meningococcal disease in U.S. history.

The YMCA of South Florida has opened a new food pantry to help struggling families overcome food insecurity.

The CDC recommends masks in high-risk areas for COVID-19 as we head into Memorial Day weekend, but the state of Florida says masks have little to no value.

A person who was traveling internationally may have contracted the first case of monkeypox detected in Florida. By David J. Neal, Miami HeraldA person has been isolated after a presumptive case of monkeypox was diagnosed, the Florida Department of Health in Broward County announced Sunday afternoon. “This case is related to international travel, and the person remains isolated,” the Health Department in Broward said. “Therefore, the risk of exposure remains low.”Friday’s CDC health advisoryThat said, there have been clumps of monkeypox cases around the world recently. “Since May 14, 2022, clusters of monkeypox cases have been reported in several countries that don’t normally have monkeypox,” the advisory stated.

The Florida Department of Health in Broward County said the presumptive monkeypox case is related to international travel and that the person remains in isolation.

The number of COVID cases in Florida are again quickly on the rise, and now hospitalizations are starting to rise, too, the Florida Department of Health’s latest data shows.

Tobacco Free Florida Week is raising awareness of the connection between tobacco use and improving mental health.

Florida Department of Health in Broward County Advises on Meningococcal Disease and Vaccines in FloridaLocal News

Florida Department of Health in Broward County Advises on Meningococcal Disease and Vaccines in FloridaLocal News

Submitted by Nina LevineTALLAHASSEE, FL – The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is responding to an outbreak of meningococcal disease in Florida. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect against meningococcal disease. Thus far, the number of cases identified in 2022 surpasses the 5-year average of meningococcal disease cases in Florida. Find meningococcal vaccines, including the MenACWY vaccine, by contacting a health care provider, county health department, or pharmacy. For more information about meningococcal disease, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website or the FDOH website.

The Florida Department of Health is urging people to get vaccinated against meningococcal disease as the state is currently experiencing an outbreak.

A Gainesville radiologist working in Miami committed malpractice in handling the results of an ultrasound on a mass in a woman’s left breast, a Florida Department of Health administrative complaint said.

The Florida Department of Health filed an administrative complaint against a Tampa area doctor after a patient he treated for left knee pain and swelling suddenly died.

Florida reported 38,614 new COVID-19 cases to the CDC from Thursday, and the state is poised to report its first week-to-week decrease in new infections since November when the health department’s report comes out later Friday.

Florida health officer for Orange County Raul Pino has been placed on administrative leave after he sent an email about staff vaccination rates.

The Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida program offers free tools and services to all Floridians to help smokers quit. Group Quit is one of the many quit services available. Counseling and medication are both effective to help you quit smoking and using them together is more effective than using either one alone. One year after quitting smoking, a former pack-a-day smoker can save more than $2,200, based on today’s prices. To learn more about all Tobacco Free Florida tools and services, visit www.tobaccofreeflorida.com/quityourway.

[BROWARD COUNTY] – Broward County, in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Broward (DOH-Broward), Broward Sheriff’s Office, municipalities, municipal law enforcement and EMS/Fire Rescue announces the following expansion of local COVID-19 testing activities. Effective , capacity at the current test site at 16001 W. State Road 84 in Sunrise will be expanded with additional testing tents. Smith Park and Mills Pond Park: Testing sites were expanded with additional testing tents within the last few weeks in order to accommodate the increase in demand. Testing sites were expanded with additional testing tents within the last few weeks in order to accommodate the increase in demand. Collection SitesDOH-Broward operates 10 test collection sites in Broward County.

The mayor of one of Florida’s largest counties on Tuesday blasted Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, saying he has been missing in action during the latest wave of COVID-19, as some counties brought back mask mandates for government workers and other municipalities opened up new testing sites in response to overwhelming demand.

The Florida Department of Health reported Florida had 29,059 new coronavirus infections on Monday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s report on Tuesday.

State sponsored commercials promoting COVID-19 vaccinations have been pulled from Florida's airwaves.

Doses of the Regeneron monoclonal antibody treatment touted by Gov. Ron DeSantis have been exhausted in Miami-Dade County, the mayor’s office confirmed to Local 10 News on Tuesday morning.

As coronavirus cases associated with the omicron variant increase steadily in South Florida, so do the number of people who are lining up to get tested. Florida added nearly 9,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday — the most since late September.

Florida’s health department reported 10,892 new COVID-19 cases across the state this week, a number that is consistent with the past six weeks.

Florida doesn't allow short-term visitors to use medical marijuana, but a push is on to change that.

After 11 weeks with declining infections, Florida reported more new COVID-19 cases last week than in the week prior.

Some public schools in Broward and Miami-Dade counties are providing the Pfizer-BionTech COVID-19 vaccine to students who are 5 years old or older and have a completed two-page Florida Department of Health consent form.

Florida averaged fewer than 1,600 new COVID-19 cases per day this past week, according to data from the state health department. It marks 10 consecutive weeks with a decline in new infections.

The 12,880 new COVID-19 cases reported by Florida from Oct. 22-28 represent a 92% decrease from the height of the summer surge in August, according to the latest data from the state health department.

The Florida Department of Health reported 15,314 new cases from Oct. 15-21 — marking eight consecutive weeks with fewer new cases than the week prior.

“There is a segment of our population that is becoming very anti-vaccine,” said Dr. Lisa Gwynn, president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “It’s a whole new era for us as pediatricians.”

By Marsha Mullings, MPHUSA44.3 million cases, 718,000 deathsFlorida*3.6 million cases, 55,667 deaths*The Florida Department of Health has suspended daily case and vaccine reports. The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, October 1 – October 7UpdateNew coronavirus infections have decreased dramatically across the US. The daily average last week was 4,000 new infections, down from a daily average of 20,000 a month ago. AnnouncementBooster ShotsBooster shots are available for individuals who have received two doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. At this time, only persons who have received the first two doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine can receive the booster.

Florida has issued its first fine to a county it says violated a new state law banning coronavirus vaccine mandates and for firing 14 workers who failed to get the shots. The Florida Department of Health on Tuesday issued the $3.5 million fine for Leon County, home to the state capital, saying the municipality violated Florida's “vaccine passport" law, which prohibits businesses and governments from requiring people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. “These are people that, presumably, have been serving throughout this whole time and now all of a sudden they’re basically getting kicked to the curb,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference in St. Pete Beach.

By Marsha Mullings, MPHUSA44 million cases, 704,000 deathsFlorida*3.6 million cases, 55,299 deaths*The Florida Department of Health has suspended daily case and vaccine reports. The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, September 24 – September 30. Booster ShotsBooster shots are available for individuals who have received two doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. At this time, only persons who have received the first two doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine can receive the booster. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org; nyt.com; www.coronavirus.jhu.edu; www.cdc.gov;

The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, September 17 – September 23. These recommendations only apply to people who previously received a Pfizer primary series (i.e., the first 2 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine). Ivermectin is not authorized or approved by FDA for prevention or treatment of COVID-19. Ivermectin formulated for large animal use (horses and cows) should not be used as prevention or treatment for COVID-19. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org ;

By Marsha Mullings, MPHUSA42 million cases,678,000 deathsFlorida*3.5 million cases,51,240 deaths*The Florida Department of Health has suspended daily case and vaccine reports. The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, September 10 – September 16. AnnouncementAn advisory panel at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended booster shots of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for adults 65 and older and for immunocompromised individuals. There are three treatments sites in South Florida:o CB Smith Park, Pembroke Pineso Tropical Park, Miamio West Gate Park, West Palm BeachTreatment is administered daily from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. AdvisoryThe Delta variant is a highly contagious strain of coronavirus that presents a serious risk for infection.

Florida has verified 3,503,976 COVID-19 cases and 51,884 fatalities connected to the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. according to the CDC’s latest metrics posted Monday.

The Florida Department of Health’s full weekly report on COVID-19 also came out Friday and shows a nearly 25% decrease in new cases compared to last week.

By Marsha Mullings, MPHAs of September 13, 2021USA41 million cases, 663,000 deathsFlorida*3.4 million cases, 48,772 deaths*The Florida Department of Health has suspended daily case and vaccine reports. The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, September 3 – September 9. There are three treatments sites in South Florida:o CB Smith Park, Pembroke Pineso Tropical Park, Miamio West Gate Park, West Palm BeachTreatment is administered daily from 9am -5pm. AdvisoryThe Delta variant is a highly contagious strain of coronavirus that presents a serious risk for infection. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org;www.coronavirus.jhu.edu; www.cdc.gov; www.sun-sentinel.com

Florida has now reported 3,464,113 cases and 49,257 fatalities connected to COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak, the latest CDC data shows.

The latest COVID-19 data from the CDC on Thursday shows an increase of 1,296 deaths from the total reported a day earlier.

The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, August 27 – September 2. UpdatesNew coronavirus infections have decreased over the last week. The daily average is 15,000 new infections, down from an average of 23,000 new infections over the last week. AdvisoryThe Delta variant is a highly contagious strain of coronavirus that presents a serious risk for infection. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org;

More than 6,600 people died with COVID-19 in Florida in August, an average of more than 213 people per day, and there may still be more August fatalities to be added.

The Florida Department of Health has included more monoclonal antibody treatment sites to expand access to this lifesaving treatment for COVID-19.

AnnouncementsCOVID-19 Booster ShotsThe Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a plan to begin offering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots this fall. It is likely that people who received a Johnson & Johnson, Janssen COVID-19 vaccine will need a booster dose. UpdatesFlorida continues to lead the nation in Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. The state records an average of 23,000 new coronavirus cases daily, highest in the nation. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org;www.coronavirus.jhu.edu; www.cdc.gov; www.sun-sentinel.com

Miami-Dade County is providing free coronavirus tests 24 hours a day and seven days a week at Tropical Park.

Dr. Scott Rivkees, who has overseen the Florida Department of Health during the coronavirus pandemic, will depart state government next month.

Florida reported 150,118 new COVID-19 cases in the past week and a positivity rate just under 20%.

The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, August 6 – August 12. The state has recorded a daily average of 22,000 new cases over the last week, the highest across the US. The state has recorded an average of 15,000 COVID-related hospitalizations daily. New coronavirus testing locations have reopened in the county. AdvisoryThe Delta variant is a highly contagious strain of coronavirus that presents a serious risk for infection.

Local 10 News went into Lice Troopers in Plantation with a hidden camera, and now the Florida Department of Health is investigating.

There is an average of 110,000 new cases a day, up from a daily average of 10,000 in early July. new cases a day, up from a daily average of in early July. new cases daily. Broward County has recorded the highest number of daily hospitalizations of all Florida counties – an average of 1,500 admissions each day. New coronavirus testing locations have reopened in the county.

Vaccination rates for young children in Florida declined by as much as 14%, and state health officials attribute the drop partly to measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 that resulted in parents postponing routine childhood exams.

The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department announced Wednesday a wastewater pipe break polluted the Little Maule Lake and surrounding surface waters.

Hurricane shelters in Broward and Palm Beach Counties won’t require COVID-19 vaccinations for anyone needing shelter from hurricanes this summer. Masks will still be required and social distancing will be enforced.

By Marsha Mullings, MPHUSA35 million cases, 614,000 deathsFlorida*2.6 million cases, 39,079 deaths*The Florida Department of Health has suspended daily case and vaccine reports. UpdateThe US is experiencing an enormous surge in new coronavirus infections. The CDC reports that the spike in new cases is caused by the Delta variant of coronavirus. The CDC forecasts between 200,000 and 1.2 million new coronavirus infections across the US over the next three weeks. AdvisoryThe Delta variant is a highly contagious strain of coronavirus that presents a serious risk for infection.

Florida reported 21,683 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, breaking a pandemic record.

With coronavirus cases skyrocketing in the state, Democrats are calling for Florida to return to releasing daily COVID-19 reports instead of the weekly report in place since June.

By Marsha Mullings, MPHUSA34.5 million cases, 612,000 deathsFlorida*2.5 million cases, 38,670 deaths*The Florida Department of Health has suspended daily case and vaccine reports. The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, July 16 – July 22. UpdateNew coronavirus infections have risen 144% across the US over the last 14 days. Florida is the epicenter in the recent surge in new coronavirus infections. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org;

Some people are looking to get tested in South Florida, either because they were exposed to the virus or because they’re planning to travel. Others are trying to get a vaccine.

By Marsha Mullings, MPHUSA*34.1 million cases, 609,500 deathsFlorida*2.4 million cases, 38,388 deaths*The Florida Department of Health has suspended daily case and vaccine reports. Florida is experiencing a full-fledged outbreak of the Delta variant of coronavirus. Florida alone represents 20% of all new coronavirus cases across the US. The Delta variant is circulating widely in South Florida and surrounding areas. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org;

Florida COVID-19 vaccination rate for nursing homes employees is second-worst in US and resident infections are twice the national average.

UpdateNew coronavirus infections have risen 60% across the US over the last 14 days. The average number of daily new cases is 19,000, up from 12,000 over the past 14 days. The average number of daily COVID-19 deaths remain steady at 250. AdvisoryThe risk of infection with coronavirus and the possibility of developing COVID-19 disease remain extremely high for people who are unvaccinated. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit www.FloridaHealth.org;

The Florida Department of Health on Friday announced 23,747 new resident cases of COVID-19 and 172 deaths since July 2.

The Florida Department of Health on Friday announced 15,684 new resident cases of COVID-19 and 213 deaths since June 25.

A judge on Tuesday refused to dismiss a criminal case against a former Florida Department of Health employee-turned whistleblower who raised questions about information being reported by the state on the coronavirus. Judge Francis Allman in Tallahassee rejected a motion to dismiss the criminal case against Rebekah Jones. Jones helped build the state’s online presentation of its COVID-19 data until she was fired.

The Florida Department of Health on Friday announced 11,048 new resident cases of COVID-19 and 217 deaths since June 18.

The numbers reported here reflect the number of new cases and deaths for the previous week, June 4 – June 10. COVID-19 deaths have also continued to decline sharply. The average number of daily deaths is 360, compared to a daily average of 3,000 deaths over the winter. AdvisoryThe risk of infection with coronavirus and the possibility of developing COVID-19 disease remain extremely high for people who are unvaccinated. For more information on coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention, visit

Jones declares ‘no more sex traffickers in Congress!’ in Instagram post

It’s Monday, May 31, Memorial Day, and time to commemorate the men and women whose profound sacrifices allow us to gather freely today.

A longtime Miami anesthesiologist didn’t make sure a patient was properly ventilated after heart surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, leading to the patient’s brain death, the Florida Department of Health said in an administrative complaint.

Florida’s health department reported 3,590 more COVID-19 cases Friday and another 71 resident deaths connected to the virus.

Broward County Public Schools partnered with the Florida Department of Health to provide the two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to students who are 16 years old or older.

By the numbers. How many cases of coronavirus are in my city? See results from up-to-date test results for Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Here's where to get a COVID vaccine in Miami-Dade County and Broward County, Florida. All Florida residents age 16 and older are eligible as of April 5.

Florida health officials reported an increase of 5,645 COVID-19 cases Tuesday and 62 more resident deaths as a result of the virus.

In letter to superintendents, Ricard Corcoran said school districts with mandatory face masks rules should change those policies so face coverings are an option, but not required, for next school year.

Florida Department of Corrections facilities will receive 33,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, a spokeswoman for the Florida Division of Emergency Management said Tuesday evening.

Los funcionarios de salud de Florida confirmaron este viernes 7,121 nuevos casos de COVID-19 y 62 muertes de residentes a causa del virus.

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg are joined by Deputy Secretary for the Florida Department of Health Dr. Shamarial Roberson, state lawmakers Sen. Annette Taddeo and Rep. Daniel Perez, Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nikki Fried and South Florida Water Management District board member Ron Bergeron.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg are joined by Deputy Secretary for the Florida Department of Health Dr. Shamarial Roberson, state lawmakers Sen. Annette Taddeo and Rep. Daniel Perez, Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Nikki Fried and South Florida Water Management District board member Ron Bergeron.

MIAMI – A group of local Black religious leaders, including a Haitian American, met on Wednesday in Miami-Dade County to promote the COVID-19 vaccine campaign. Carl Johnson, of 93rd Street Community Baptist Church, spoke about his support of the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday in Miami-Dade. The meeting also included Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade commissioners, and other community leaders. Two of the pastors received their first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Ron DeSantis expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in Florida to people who are 40 years old or older.

WESTVIEW, Fla. – Florida’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign at Miami Dade College North continued Monday with thousands more who received their first dose of the Pfizer two-dose vaccine. The state announced that the site will now be able to administer 3,000 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine per day. As of Monday morning, 3,141,836 people had completed the vaccine series in Florida, including 379,899 in Miami-Dade County and 272,201 in Broward County, according to the Florida Department of Health. Also, 2,537,765 people received the first dose in Florida, including 336,500 in Dade and 223,772 in Broward, according to the FDOH. AdSTATEWIDEFlorida Department of Health (FDOH)MIAMI-DADEFlorida Department of Health (FDOH)BROWARDFlorida Department of Health (FDOH)Related stories

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health needs volunteers in Miami-Dade and Broward counties to help with the COVID-19 vaccine campaign. BROWARDThe Broward Medical Reserve Corps, a community-based program, is looking for medical and public health professionals. Dr. Warren Sturman, of the Broward Medical Reserve Corps, said there is a dire need for volunteers with and without medical training. MIAMI-DADEFDOH in Miami-Dade needs public ambassadors. People who are interested need to fill out the application and a personal reference questionnaire and e-mail it to MiamiDade@FLHealth.gov.

Florida’s health department confirmed 5,140 new COVID-19 cases Friday and 53 state resident deaths as a result of the virus. The state has now verified 1,999,257 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak began and 32,651 resident deaths, according to the latest health department data. Another 622 non-residents have died in Florida from COVID-19, putting the state over 33,000 deaths total. According to the CDC, over 900 cases of COVID-19 variants have been verified in Florida, most of any state. A look at the statewide positivity rate for new COVID-19 cases across Florida over the past two weeks.

Broward County Public Schools’ employees who are age 18 or older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine this week at the T.Y. The last day for Broward school employees to make COVID vaccine appointments is Friday. State sites are only accepting school employees who are age 50 or older. As of Monday, FDOH reported 2,370,198 had completed the COVID-19 vaccine series in Florida, including 203,829 in Broward County and 258,271 in Miami-Dade County. Broward reportFlorida Department of Health (Copyright 2020 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.)

A member of the Florida National Guard directs vehicles at a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination site at Marlins Park, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Broward County Public Schools employees, no matter how old they are, can now get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the school district. Through the district’s ongoing partnership with the Florida Department of Health employees, will have several choices of locations throughout Broward County to get a shot. Appointments can be made beginning Monday, according to a release by the district, and will be distributed from Tuesday, March 16 through Friday, March 19. Earlier in March, there was an age restriction for which school employees could get the vaccine. To schedule an appointment, those eligible can call (866) 201-6313.

A look at the statewide positivity rate for new COVID-19 cases across Florida over the past two weeks. (Florida Department of Health)

The Florida Department of Health has published a form that, beginning now, will be used across the state for physicians to certify that patients are “extremely vulnerable” to COVID-19 and therefore eligible to receive a vaccine in Florida. Hospitals, doctors offices and pharmacies are now allowed to vaccinate those extremely vulnerable state residents — regardless of age — after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ latest executive order last week. Otherwise, a Floridian must be 65 or older; a frontline healthcare worker who treats patients; a resident or staff at a long-term care facility; or a law enforcement, firefighter or K-12 school employee ages 50 and older. You can access the form to prove “extreme vulnerability” below or by clicking here.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami Dade College’s North Campus is now home to a massive vaccination site run by the state and supported by FEMA. More than 2,000 doses will be administered there per day, 500 of which will be the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine. AdThe U.S. Army is prepared to administer 2,500 Pfizer doses and 500 Johnson & Johnson doses daily. Both are offering 500 doses daily and are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. Ad“(The) Jackson Health System has vaccinated over 97,000 members of the community,” Jackson Health System CEO Carlos Migoya said.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Two women in a Fort Lauderdale neighborhood were attacked by a raccoon, city fire officials confirmed. Video provided by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue shows the moments Fish & Wildlife Conservation responded to a home Friday morning after neighbors said a raccoon attacked a woman living there. “Our crews were actually being chased by the raccoon when they went up and tried to treat the woman,” said Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan. AdBroward County’s health department issued a rabies alert for the next 60 days. The only preventive measure for human exposure to rabies is rabies specific immune globulin and rabies immunization.

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – (Our new chart will update the number of people vaccinated in four South Florida counties.) The data summarize the number of people who have received either their first dose or have completed the series for a COVID-19 vaccine. After individuals receive their second dose, they are moved from the first dose column to the series completed column. AdRELATED LINKS:Where to get vaccinated: Miami-Dade County | Broward CountyFlorida’s pre-registration system for those eligible for COVID-19 vaccine: Click here. Weekly COVID-19 testing numbers in Broward and Miami-Dade County cities

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Florida has at least 201 confirmed cases of the more contagious COVID-19 variant out of the United Kingdom, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s the highest total in the country, and the highest concentration of cases remains in South Florida, numbers from the state’s health department show. There have been 690 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant across 33 states in the statistics posted Sunday night. In Florida, Broward County has the most verified variant cases (57), followed by Miami-Dade (40) and Palm Beach County (22), according to the Florida Department of Health. “In fact, as of Feb. 5, the Florida Department of Health has sequenced 4,224 COVID-19 specimens, with more than 220 sequenced last week.

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health announced Wednesday that it has called for an audit into the Palm Beach County Health Care District after it reported damage to more than 1,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine last week. “In Florida, we have been diligent to preserve and utilize every single dose of the vaccine. While we must rely on partners to distribute this critical resource, we expect that every provider treat the vaccine as the precious commodity that it is. AdThe health department has asked health officials in Palm Beach County to perform a full accounting of all vaccine-related equipment and procedures it currently has in place to store and handle the vaccine. The FDOH has requested that the audit be completed by Friday, Feb. 12. and that “all findings and corrective actions be reported to the Florida Department of Health immediately upon the conclusion of the audit.”

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Of the 92 confirmed cases of a more contagious COVID-19 variant in Florida, 60 of those cases are in South Florida, according to new data from the state’s health department. That includes 28 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in Broward County, 23 cases in Miami-Dade County and nine cases in Palm Beach County. The only other states in the country with more than 20 confirmed variant cases are California (92) and New York (22). However, the Florida Department of Health says that it is more actively searching for the variant than other states. “The hard science data, as well as epidemiological data, suggesting that the U.K. variant is not just more contagious but also perhaps more severe.”In Florida, verified variant cases doubled from 46 last week to 92 this week.

Less than smooth sailing as 2 COVID-19 vaccination locations open in Broward CountyFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – After struggling with an online system, the Florida Department of Health in Broward County is now having people eligible for COVID-19 shots sign up over the phone through the state’s appointment scheduling system. Seniors 65 and older and frontline healthcare workers can call 866-201-6313 to request an appointment, effective immediately, officials announced Thursday morning. “When people call the appointment number, they will be asked through an automated system to enter information using their telephone keypad. Live agents will call people back to make appointments until all current appointments are filled,” the health department said in a news release. “They should return to the same site on the date written on their vaccination card at the same time as they arrived for their first dose,” the health department said.

Rebekah Jones turned herself in to police on Sunday after an investigation into an anonymous message sent to Department of Health employees. A raid on her home on Dec. 7, according to investigators, was regarding a message sent from a computer at her home address to health department employees. The anonymous alert, sent on Nov. 10 to workers at FDOH, read:“It’s time, to speak up before another 17,000 people are dead. Ron DeSantis said that Jones became known because she alleged a conspiracy theory at the Department of Health. Obviously, she has issues.”RELATED: Former data analyst home raidedBodycam video released of raid on COVID-19 data analyst’s homeRebekah Jones demands computers be returned

Rebekah Jones says she was fired from the Florida Department of Health after she refused to "manipulate" COVID-19 data (Photo: Courtesy photo)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Former Florida Department of Health data analyst Rebekah Jones announced on Twitter that she will turn herself in to authorities on Sunday night. She has been vocal about her firing, saying that it was because she refused to go along with manipulating COVID-19 data. — Rebekah Jones (@GeoRebekah) January 16, 2021The raid was based on a lie. — Rebekah Jones (@GeoRebekah) January 16, 2021The search in early December, according to investigators, was regarding a message sent from a computer at her home address to health department employees. Obviously, she has issues.”RELATED: Former data analyst home raidedBodycam video released of raid on COVID-19 data analyst’s homeRebekah Jones demands computers be returned

There is a stark contrast between Florida’s Black communities and white communities when it comes to the number of people who have received the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the Florida Department of Health, a little over 38,000 Black people have been vaccinated in the state of Florida compared to just over 494,000 white people. The Florida Department of Health has been working with places of worship to boost the number of vaccinations being given out, but is that enough? Community Activist James “Munch” Mungin II said that the church isn’t the main stable in the community anymore. “I think the state, I think the federal government needs to have a better communication plan within the Black community,” said Senator Shevrin Jones (D-35).

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health has 40,000 people on a waiting list for the COVID-19 vaccine, so access to new appointments will be limited until the state is able to deal with the backlog. To help speed up the process, a new COVID-19 vaccine distribution center is scheduled to open on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Coral Square Mall, 9469 W. Atlantic Blvd., in Coral Springs. Government-issued photo identification is required to verify the recipient of the vaccine is age 65 or older. As of Sunday in Broward County, 39,717 people had received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 6,480 had completed the series, according to FDOH. For more information about access to the COVID-19 vaccine, call the Florida Division of Emergency Management at 1-866-779-6121.