Miami-Dade Mayor to Close Restaurants, Gyms to Curb Virus

(Bloomberg) -- Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez will issue an emergency order to close restaurants and gyms, among other businesses, after the county’s hospitals saw a sharp increase in Covid-19 admissions generally and in intensive-care units.

The closings will take effect Wednesday, Gimenez said in a statement Monday. The order will also shut banquet facilities, party venues and short-term rentals.

Covid-19 cases have been increasing across Florida, but Governor Ron DeSantis has so far insisted he won’t roll back the reopening that started May 4 or mandate masks, leaving it to local governments to tamp down the outbreak. Miami-Dade, the state’s most populous county, is again emerging as a focal point of the state’s pandemic.

The mayor said he wouldn’t close summer camps, daycare centers or hotel pools “at this time,” but residents must adhere to social distancing and mask rules. The order allows retailers and offices to stay open.

“We want to ensure that our hospitals continue to have the staffing necessary to save lives,” he said.

As of Monday, Miami-Dade had 331 Covid-19 patients in intensive-care unit beds, matching Sunday’s record, according to a county report. The number of coronavirus patients on ventilators rose by four in the past day to 168, the highest since April.

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