Florida legislator recovering from virus; cases rising

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A Florida legislator said Wednesday that he is recovering from the coronavirus but his parents are now infected, while a man and his three sons are facing federal charges that they illegally sold a bleachlike chemical mixture as a miracle cure for the coronavirus and other diseases.

State Rep. Shevrin Jones, 36, became the first-known Florida legislator to test positive positive last week after showing up at the emergency room with fever, chills and trouble breathing.

The Broward County Democrat said Wednesday he is feeling better but is fearful for his 71- and 74-year-old parents, who both tested positive this week.

“I speak with them three and four times (a day) just to ensure they are not experiencing any symptoms,” he said. “The scariest part about all of this is the hospitals and their capacity filling up and then the state not seeming to be taking this virus as serious as they should.”

Florida is one of the nation’s hot spots for coronavirus. Almost 10,000 confirmed cases were added Wednesday, bringing its total since March 1 to nearly 224,000. Almost 4,000 people have died, including 48 reported by the state Wednesday.

The state shows that 41 of the state’s 208 hospital intensive care units are at capacity and another 49 are at 90% capacity or greater. The list includes hospitals with large ICUs such as Tampa General, Baptist Hospital of Miami and UF Health Jacksonville.

Some hospital systems say they have the ability to add beds if needed.

Meanwhile, federal officials announced Wednesday that they have charged four men with selling a fake COVID-19 cure.

The substance marketed as Miracle Mineral Solution was sold nationwide through an entity called the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing in Bradenton, Florida,...