The city of Key West on Monday amended its rule on face coverings to require everyone over the age of 6 to wear a mask whenever they are away from home, regardless of social distancing.
The move was a response to the sharp increase in reported numbers of cases of COVID-19, in the state and locally. On Saturday, 74 new cases were reported in Monroe County, more than twice the previous one-day record. About 45 percent of the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the Keys so far have been in the ZIP code that includes Key West and part of the Lower Keys.
Key West has about a third of the population of the entire Florida Keys, but is the major tourist destination on the island chain.
