Florida reported a new single-day record of new coronavirus cases on July 4th. The Florida Department of Health reported 11,458 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, surpassing the previous record of 10,109 set on Friday. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 190,052.
For context, the daily case count for new coronavirus cases in New York, the previous epicenter of the coronavirus peaked at 10,824 in April according to Johns Hopkins University. So, Florida has already surpassed New York’s peak.
Florida also reported 18 new deaths on Saturday, bringing the state’s seven-day average to about 45 deaths per day, the highest since May 12, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Overall, 3,803 Floridians have died from the coronavirus. And 16,040 have been hospitalized.
Despite the surging caseload, the state does not have a statewide mandated mask policy. However, some major Florida cities have decided to take action locally. Residents in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Orange County must wear a mask in public.
