Florida governor asks lawmakers for $25M for coronavirus

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has asked state lawmakers for $25 million for heath officials to use immediately in the state’s response to coronavirus.

Four people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Florida, but DeSantis said during a media briefing in Naples Friday that no new cases had been reported in the past 24 hours.

“Both the Speaker of the House and the Senate President have indicated that they’re fully supportive of doing what we need to do to continue to support the effort,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said he expects Florida to receive at least $27 million from the federal government, along with an extra $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to immediately cover costs like lab equipment and staffing.

The risk to the general public remains low in Florida, DeSantis said. Those most at risk include the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions. Health officials have put out guidance to assisted living facilities to restrict visitors who might be infected.