Spring Break

The state's seven-day average of cases saw a sharp incline from late March, after declining for months from January.

Even without a traditional spring break in some cases, colleges have seen a spike in COVID cases.

A boost into adulthood is the least we can do given that we've asked our children to sacrifice one of the best years of their lives. They largely came through for us. Now it's time we return the favor.

A woman reportedly died after falling from a fourth-floor room. She was believed to have been the mother of a student from one of three schools taking part in the trip.

The state reported 5,773 new cases, up from 5,143 the day before, as spring break crowds flock to the state's beaches, streets and bars.

In each of the metro areas of Miami, Tampa and Orlando, coronavirus cases have begun to rise among people aged 25 to 49 years old.

Miami Beach has a local facemask ordinance but the governor's reopening plan forbids the city from enforcing it with fines and penalties.

Miami Beach officials have implemented an 8 p.m. till 6 a.m. curfew and state of emergency until April 12 in response to the throngs of young people partying in the streets.

Florida Attorney Daniel Uhlfelder has urged holiday-goers to reconsider their travel plans as the state surpasses more than 2 million cases of COVID-19.

Miami Beach officials said adults, not college students, made up a majority of the out-of-state arrests amid the raucous partying.

"It's become a very dangerous mix of multiple challenges," Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said.

The curfew could be in place through April as needed, city officials said following a meeting on Sunday.

Wild scenes of spring break partying emerged out of Miami Beach this weekend as city officials declared a "super spreader" state of emergency.

Miami Beach officials declared a state of emergency on Saturday and announced an 8 p.m. curfew after struggling to contain crowds of unruly spring breakers that have descended on the city.

"This was not an easy decision to make," City Manager Raul J. Aguila said Saturday, highlighting the particularly rowdy spring break crowds in town.

119 arrests have been made, with 13 guns seized and around 900 traffic citations issued, according to police.

As of this week, Texans no longer have to wear masks in public and businesses can operate at full capacity.

"I say mask use is the exception more than the rule at this point," said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber.

Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau's Rolando Aedo said that the increase in occupancy rates from the previous year shows that "people are returning to travel in a very gradual and deliberate way."

The University of California at Davis is aiming to discourage students from traveling during the upcoming academic recess with $75 vouchers that they can spend locally instead.

Videos shared to Instagram on Tuesday and Wednesday show crowds of young people gathered on the beach without face coverings, which is now permitted statewide in Texas.

Enhanced safety measures were imposed on Miami Beach from late February, in anticipation of the spring break crowds.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, warned: "We are really trying to restrain travel at this current period of time."

Tourists that have traveled to Miami Beach have received text messages urging them to "Vacation Responsibly or Be Arrested."

The group began their trip in Nashville, Tennessee around March 13, before then moving onto Gulf Shores in Alabama three days later.

Tracking data from U.S. mobile technology and location data company X-Mode is being fed a mapping platform called Tectonix to analyze human movements during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are putting in a shelter in place or stay at home order in today," Suarez said. "We're hoping that people get the message to stay home and if you're coming from spring break, go home."

The University of Tampa said another student, unrelated to the spring break group, had also tested positive for COVID-19 after international travel.

"Every part of government has to start telling people: 'Take some personal responsibility here. Don't infect other people,'" Rick Scott warned.

Images from social media show large crowds attending Clearwater Beach as other cities in the state start to close beaches to the public.