Altamonte Springs bar closes after customers test positive for COVID-19

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Amid the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Florida, an Altamonte Springs bar owner has closed temporarily due to several customers testing positive for the virus.

The owner of Kiwi’s Pub said he couldn’t take any chances with the health of his staff and customers.

On Friday, the owner said he had six customers call and inform him they tested positive for COVID-19, which led to the decision.

Read: Florida health officials report more than 2K new COVID-19 cases

Customers on the bar’s Facebook page applauded those customers for sharing the information.

Many commented that they support the owner’s decision, with many saying the decision is “socially responsible” and saying he’s “putting people over profits.”

This has happened as Florida is breaking record for numbers of new cases.

When questioned Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed the increase was due to expanded testing, but testing has been ramped up for weeks now.

The state’s rate of people testing positive has stayed between 4.5% to 6.5%, which is higher than what the state averaged before.

The percentage of positive cases is what DeSantis and the Trump administration has said should be a key factor in deciding whether to continue with reopening phases, pause or even scale back.

As for Kiwi’s, the owner said on Facebook that some staff have reported experiencing symptoms of the virus and he encourages everyone to get tested and let him know if they test positive.

© 2020 Cox Media Group