Marco Island closes city hall to public amid coronavirus threat

A Marco Island Fire and Rescue truck  is parked at City Hall on June 27, 2019.

In a two-sentence news release sent Monday evening, Marco Island announced it has closed city hall to the public.

"Until further notice Marco Island City Hall will be closed to the general public," according to the release. "City Hall is open for business by telephone or email, or online through the city website."

The police and fire-rescue buildings are both closed to the public, according to Capt. Dave Baer of Marco Island Police Department.

"MIPD and MIFRD are both closed to the public, however both entities are fully operational 24/7," Baer wrote in an email to the Eagle. He also had no information about city staff or visitors testing positive for coronavirus.

"I don’t have any information on testing," he wrote.

It is unsure if the public will be allowed to attend in person during the next City Council meeting scheduled for April 6 inside the police building, according to Baer.

"We are still working through those details as the situation is evolving rapidly," Baer wrote. "We will have more information to follow."

More:Coronavirus: City of Marco Island closes its public beach access

And:Coronavirus: Easter Sunrise service cancelled; San Marco Catholic Church suspends mass

Naples announced the closure of city hall to the public starting Monday at 5 p.m. Its list of buildings closed to the public includes police and fire-rescue, among others.

Eighteen who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus have died, according to an evening advisory Monday from the state Department of Health. 

Florida reported four new deaths in its latest advisory, while also reporting a jump in confirmed cases, now up to 1,227.  

After reporting nearly 200 additional cases Sunday evening and pushing the state's total number of positive cases above 1,000, the state Department of Health added 220 cases to its catalogue on Monday. 

On March 16, the city of Marco Island declared a state of emergency to ensure the health and safety of residents and visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Additional reporting by Brittany Carloni, Cheryl McCloud and Evan Pflugradt.

Omar Rodríguez Ortiz is a community reporter for Naples Daily News and Marco Eagle. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram as @Omar_fromPR, and on Facebook. Support his work by subscribing to Naples Daily News.