While the Keys begin to open up parks, beaches and business to locals, area leaders are maintaining two checkpoints in Key Largo as a priority for the foreseeable future — until a downward trend is witnessed in three hot spot counties just to the north of the island chain.
Together, five municipal mayors and County Mayor Heather Carruthers penned a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis on April 30 to express support for the continuation of the two posts at MM 112.5 and State Road 905. The island chain closed to visitors on March 22 to control the spread of coronavirus. The checkpoints were subsequently established on March 27 with Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies and assistance from county public works, State Attorney’s Office staff and employees from the various municipalities.
Within the letter, mayors state that a continued presence of the two posts is a key protective measure that will help to reopen local businesses in the measured way DeSantis described in his April 29 press conference on reopening Florida, which will roll out Monday, May 4.
Southeast Florida remains the epicenter of the pandemic with more than half the cases originating from that region to date. As of April 30, the Florida Health Department reported 342 new cases in Miami-Dade County. The two days before, April 28 and 29, the county reported 97 and 123 new cases respectively.
Broward County reported 184 new cases, up from 40 and 65 new cases on April 28 and April 29 respectively. Palm Beach reported 75 new cases, up from 36 and 58 cases on April 28 and April 29 respectively.
No new cases were reported in Monroe County as of 3 p.m. Friday, leaving the total case count at 79.
As of May 1, Dade County’s positive rate is 14%, while Broward is at 10.4% and Palm Beach 10.5%. Monroe County is currently at 6% with 1,315 tested and 1,203 of those coming back negative.
Mayors further state in the letter that the checkpoint has prevented the hot spot from spreading south into the Keys and overwhelming limited health care facilities. There were no hospitalizations in Monroe County for COVID-19 as of April 30.
Joining in on the letter were Carruthers; Teri Johnston, Key West mayor; Steve Cook, Marathon mayor; Mike Forster, Islamorada mayor, John DeNeale, Key Colony Beach mayor; and Bruce Halle, Layton mayor.
