Mainstreet Daily News creates coronavirus clearinghouse for up-to-the-minute news on the crisis

Alachua County begins this week in a profoundly different place than it was last Monday, and the stark likelihood is that seven days from now, it will probably be even more staggering.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, life, as we are accustomed to, has changed. Schools have closed. Churches have cancelled services. Businesses and restaurants have altered their schedules. Sporting events from professional, to college, to high school, and even youth leagues, have been postponed, delayed or ended their seasons. Nursing homes have all but quarantined themselves, while hospitals and medical facilities have created stronger protocols for entering their facilities.

All of this to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

By Sunday afternoon, known cases of coronavirus in the US eclipsed 3,000 with over 60 deaths. Just one week ago, less than 500 cases had been diagnosed. More than 400 cases have been reported in each of the last four days alone.

In Florida, 115 cases have been diagnosed with four deaths as of Sunday afternoon, up from only 14 last Monday. In Alachua County, only four people have tested positive for COVID-19, but that number is almost certain to increase.

It is because of the all-encompassing nature of the coronavirus that Mainstreet Daily News will begin a proactive approach to this pandemic, and focus almost exclusively on COVID-19. In an effort to keep our community informed, prepared, and safe, MARC Radio, Mainstreet Daily News, and SunState Federal Credit Union have partnered together to create a daily, up-to-the-minute clearinghouse for all the news and information related to the coronavirus and how it relates to us locally.

You will find the coronavirus clearinghouse in the breaking news section above the news feed, as well as in our news feed on the front page of the site.

To view the updated information, go here.

 The sole intent of this partnership will be to inform our readers and listeners with comprehensive, accurate, and objective details about COVID-19. We will not hype, overreact, or sensationalize this serious crisis. We will, however, report on these events until we, as a nation and community have moved forward and past this challenge.