Florida Shatters Single-Day Record with Over 11,450 New Coronavirus Cases in Single Day
Florida has once again shattered its single-day record for coronavirus cases, reporting 11,458 new cases of the respiratory illness on Saturday.
The Florida Department of Health has now reported a total of 190,052 confirmed coronavirus cases and 3,702 deaths, the Orlando Sentinel reported. On July 4, there were 18 new fatalities in the state.
Two weeks ago, on June 19, Florida reported 3,822 new cases of coronavirus — the highest single-day number at the time. Still, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has said that the state will not be reeling in its efforts to reopen the economy.
“We're not going back, closing things,” he said on Wednesday. “I don't think that that's really what's driving it. People going to a business is not what's driving it. I think when you see the younger folks — I think a lot of it is more just social interactions, so that's natural.”
Despite his comments, many counties in Florida have decided to reverse course on reopenings, and bars across the state have closed. Several beaches have also shut down for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, including those in Miami-Dade County.
Other states, including California, Arizona and Texas, have also become hotspots for new coronavirus cases, as the United States marks the third day in a row with new daily cases of coronavirus over 50,000, hitting a new 24-hour high of 57,497 on Saturday, according to MarketWatch.
In the past week, California’s Los Angeles County had its highest number of single-day cases and neighboring Orange County hit its own record, reaching 779 new confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Data from The Washington Post shows that new coronavirus cases were up 20 percent in California over the last week. Texas saw a 35 percent increase and in Arizona, cases were up 32 percent.
Florida Beaches Packed With People Despite Coronavirus Concerns
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has issued a warning to Americans that the numbers could get much higher if the coronavirus continues to spread at this rate.
“I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day if this does not turn around,” Fauci said while testifying at Senate hearings about COVID-19 late last month. “And so I am very concerned.”
“I can't make an accurate prediction, but it is going to be very disturbing,” he added. “I will guarantee you that because when you have an outbreak in one part of the country, even though in other parts of the country they're doing well, they are vulnerable.”
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