South Florida appears to be the epicenter of the coronavirus in the state with 70 cases in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
Broward has the most with 39. An Orange County woman is the fifth resident to die of the virus and health officials say the 79-year-old had underlying health issues.

A mandatory curfew in the Town of Palm Beach will start tonight to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Also all public beaches on Palm Beach will be closed.

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Efforts are underway to make it easier to get tested for the coronavirus in Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

BROWARD COUNTY, FL – Parks have been taking precautions to protect the health of our employees, guests, and the community from exposure to COVID-19. Broward County Parks are open for passive use only, and the following will be put into effect immediately until further notice:

Election locations at Broward County Parks are open.
All organized athletic leagues, games, races, practices, and tournaments are canceled.
All recreation programs are canceled.
All permitted events, such as spring break camps and camp trips (both public and private) are canceled.
Halls and shelter rentals are closed.
Water parks are closed – Castaway Island, Paradise Cove, Splash Adventure, and Tropical Splash.
The splash pad at Miramar Pineland is closed.
Barkham at Markham and Woofing Waters at Quiet Waters are closed.
Marinas are closed – Plantation Heritage, Quiet Waters, Tree Tops, T.Y., and West Lake parks.
The velodrome is closed.
The Target Range at Markham is closed.
Deerfield Island Park and Hollywood North Beach Park are closed.
Nature center exhibit halls are closed.

All programs and rental reservations will be credited or fully refunded.

The following concessionaires and public/private partners will also close to the public:

All Golf at C.B. Smith Park, Pembroke Pines.
Broward Ski & Wakeboard School at C.B. Smith Park.
Butterfly World at Tradewinds Park & Stables, Coconut Creek.
Equine-Assisted Therapies at Tradewinds Park & Stable, Coconut Creek.
Everglades Holiday Park airboat rides and gator shows.
Koslov Tennis Academy (C.B. Smith Park) and Lakeshore Tennis Center (Brian Piccolo Sports Park & Velodrome).
Ski Rixen USA at Quiet Waters Park.
Zack’s Snacks at Hollywood North Beach Park.

With health as our top priority, it’s hard not to think of how our parks help us by reducing anxiety and stress. If patrons are able and it feels safe, take a walk or bike ride in a park. Visitors should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): wash your hands; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; avoid close contact with people who are sick; and put a distance of six feet between yourself and other people.

Parks’ employees continue to follow CDC personal hygiene recommendations and are increasing sensitization of our facilities.

As the current situation changes daily, we encourage everyone to check for any updates by visiting Broward.org/Parks.

For more information about COVID-19 visit Broward.org/Coronavirus.