Miami mayor orders masks to be worn in public

All residents of Miami will be required to wear masks or facial coverings in public as a precaution against the coronavirus, Mayor Francis Suarez (R) announced Monday.

Suarez, himself a survivor of the virus, made the announcement at a news conference, saying the tighter rule was necessary due to Florida’s spike in virus cases, although he said “without a doubt, enforcement will be a challenge.”

Suarez added that Miami will postpone the reopening of any institutions and businesses covered by phase three of the state’s plan, including nightclubs, movie theaters and other large entertainment venues. In Miami-Dade County, officials have stepped up aggressive measures against businesses that have failed to enforce mask rules, with the county issuing warnings to 45 businesses, according to a Miami NBC affiliate.

In the city, meanwhile, police forced two restaurants in the Wynwood and Design District neighborhoods to close last weekend, as well as another in the Little Havana neighborhood. County officials have warned noncompliant businesses’ owners will face fines of up to $500 and penalties of up to 180 days in jail.

Several other South Florida cities will implement similar requirements, including Aventura, Hialeah, Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach.

Florida on Saturday set a single-day record for new coronavirus cases, with 4,049 people testing positive. The increase brought the total number of cases in the state to nearly 94,000 with more than 3,100 deaths from the virus. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has said he will continue to make wearing masks voluntary. “This has to be voluntary because the Constitution is not suspended just because there is a virus,” DeSantis said in a press conference Friday.

The governor also blamed the increase in testing for the increased number of cases. However, state data indicate that the rise in cases has mirrored an increase in the percentage of tests coming back positive.