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Events in Central Florida canceled because of coronavirus concerns

Updated  March 12, 2020 4:11pm EDT
News
FOX 35 Orlando
coronavirus convention center article

ORLANDO, Fla. - Events across the state are being canceled as positive cases of coronavirus continue to rise.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Florida Department of Health says that there are 30 people in the state with positive cases of coronavirus. Three of these are not Florida residents. The cases span over 15 different Florida counties. Five other Florida residents have COVID-19 but are isolated in another state. There have been two coronavirus deaths in Florida so far. They were both elderly patients with underlying conditions. 476 people are currently being monitored.

Here are some of the events being canceled as officials attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19:

ORANGE COUNTY

  • In an abundance of caution and as a proactive effort to minimize COVID-19 exposure within our community, following the direction of Orange County, the City of Orlando will cancel or postpone city-hosted, city-sponsored and city-permitted events with an estimated attendance of 250 or more people effective Sunday, March 15 at 11:59 p.m.  This action will remain in effect through March 31, 2020, and the city will reassess the postponements and make adjustments as needed, keeping the safety of the public at the forefront of the city’s decision-making process.   
  • The Orlando Magic have announced that they have postponed the Orlando Wine Festival and Auction. This was scheduled for Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14. Tickets and packages purchased will be honored at the rescheduled date, which has yet to be chosen. Visit the Wine Auction Orlando website for updates.
  • The 61st Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival has been canceled due to the potential spread of coronavirus. For more information, visit the festival website.
  • Hands-On Orlando has suspended all their volunteer projects until further notice. More information can be found on their website.
  • Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF will suspend performances March 16 - March 31, 2020. The theater will continue performances through Sunday, March 15. The novel coronavirus situation is rapidly evolving and Orlando Shakes will update plans as necessary.  The Orlando Shakes Box Office expects call volume to be high, so patrons with questions are encouraged to email the Box Office at boxoffice@orlandoshakes.org to receive the quickest possible response.
  • Orlando Science Center has been closely monitoring the status of coronavirus (COVID-19) through news reports and updates from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Florida Department of Health (FDOH), and the Florida Department of Education (FDOE).   In the interest of public health, we have decided to be closed to the public, beginning Monday, March 16. Orlando Science Center will re-open on Monday, March 30.

OSCEOLA COUNTY

Based on CDC recommendations and in consultation with members of the Osceola County Executive Policy Group the City will postpone the following programs and events: Paint the Cloud Green event, Saturday, March 14, 2020;  The Irish Doyle Brothers concert, Tuesday, March 17, 2020; Other events that have been postponed include:
•    Jehovah's Heart 5K at Chisholm Park TOMORROW, Saturday, March 14, 2020
•    The Nicole Montalvo Awareness March at the Lakefront, Saturday, March, 21, 2020
•    The Chamber's 5K-10K Saturday, March 28, 2020
•    The Battle at Narcoossee at Chisholm Park Saturday, March 28, 2020 and Sunday, March 29, 2020
 

SEMINOLE COUNTY

In light of issues associated with COVID-19 or coronavirus, the City of Casselberry is continuing citywide preparations with the safety and health of our residents as the first consideration.  Beginning Monday, March 16, 2020 all City events and recreation programs will be suspended until Tuesday, March 31, 2020.  This includes closure of the Recreation Center and the Art House.  The City will also postpone the Spring Jazz and Art Festival scheduled for Saturday, March 21, 2020 at Lake Concord Park.

VOLUSIA COUNTY

Daytona 200: "American Flat Track has postponed this weekend’s race events at Daytona International Speedway, which includes Saturday’s DAYTONA 200 presented by CoMoto and the DAYTONA TT. The 79th DAYTONA 200 will be held as part of Biketoberfest in October and the DAYTONA TT will be rescheduled on a future date. We believe this decision is in the best interest of the safety and well-being of our fans, competitors, officials and everyone associated with the sport. We will continue to monitor this dynamic situation as we assess future race events.”

BREVARD COUNTY

To be announced.

LAKE COUNTY

  • The Lake County Government has postponed all county-sponsored events through the end of March. Any future events are pending through recommendations from the COVID-19 task force. For updates, visit the Lake County Emergency Management Facebook page.
  • The 43rd Annual Leesburg Art Festival has been postponed. It was scheduled for March 14 through 15. New dates will be announced at a later time.
  • Out of an abundance of caution, the City of Mount Dora is temporarily suspending events in the city. The suspension affects the following: Downtown areas, including all city parks, Sunset Park downtown, alleyways and other city facilities and the W.T. Bland Public Library.  Read more here.

FLAGLER COUNTY

To be announced.

MARION COUNTY

  • All extra-curricular school events have been canceled in Marion County out of an abundance of caution through March 24. Further announcements will be shared on the Marion County Schools website.

ALACHUA COUNTY

  • Dance Marathon at the University of Florida has been canceled. The school said that while this is a disappointment for them, they must prioritize the health and well-being of everyone at the school. Questions or concerns can be emailed to floridadm@floridadm.org.

POLK COUNTY

To be announced.

FOX 35 will continue to update this story as more events are canceled across the state of Florida.

IF YOU FEEL SICK

The symptoms of coronavirus include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms sometimes don’t show for two to 14 days after infection.

To prevent exposure, avoid contact with people who are sick. Health officials advise that you also regularly and effectively wash your hands, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, cover sneezes and coughs with tissues, and stay home if you are sick.

MORE NEWS: These major events, concerts called off amid COVID-19 outbreak

If you display coronavirus symptoms, you should contact a local health organization and make them aware of your condition prior to arrival while also following specific instructions or guidelines they may have. It may also be beneficial to wear a face mask prior to an appointment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 and let them know if you have been infected or believe that you may be.

If you are infected, a medical professional or another authority will likely advise that you remain isolated while sick. This includes staying at home and not going into public places or large events.

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