MARCH 28, 2020
3rd death confirmed in Miami-Dade as coronavirus spreads: Longtime Jackson nurse Araceli Buendia Ilagan died from complications of COVID-19. “As we battle this global public health crisis, caregivers throughout the world are bravely serving on the frontlines, often putting their patients’ lives before theirs,” the statement from Jackson Hospital explained. “These medical professionals – people like Araceli – are the true heroes, and we salute them all.” Rest In Peace, Araceli Buendia Ilagan.
Total number of cases (Miami-Dade County): 1003
Total number of deaths: 3
ON THIS DAY
Araceli Buendia Ilagan and an unidentified veteran in their 90s has died this week due to complications from coronavirus, marking the second and third deaths in Miami-Dade. Ilagan reached 63 years of age, having worked for Jackson Health’s hospital system since the 1980s, mentoring other nurses and treating critically ill patients for almost 33 years. The unidentified veteran died at the Miami VA Healthcare System, just one of nine VA patients across the country who have died after testing positive for coronavirus.
On this day, Miami residents under curfew make headlines for joining countries all over the world in expressing their gratitude for healthcare workers. They stood on their balconies to cheer, clap, sing, and dance, banging pots and pans and playing music in true Miami fashion. Some residents shared the emotional moment on social media, showing solidarity for carers like Ilagan.
SOURCES
Florida Department of Health – Florida’s COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard
The Miami Herald – Coronavirus Live Updates: Here’s What to Know in South Florida on March 28
The Miami Herald – Longtime Jackson Memorial ICU nurse dies after novel coronavirus infection
The Miami Herald – Miami’s under curfew, but its residents took their partying to their balconies