Coronavirus: Florida breaks record with more than 21,000 new cases
- The state has become the new national epicentre for the virus, accounting for around a fifth of all new cases in the US
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has resisted mandatory mask mandates and vaccine requirements
Florida has reported 21,683 new cases of Covid-19, the state’s highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic, according to federal health data released on Saturday.
The state has become the new national epicentre for the virus, accounting for around a fifth of all new cases in the US.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has resisted mandatory mask mandates and vaccine requirements, and along with the Florida Legislature, has limited local officials’ ability to impose measures meant to stop the spread of Covid-19.
The figures from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday showed how quickly the number of cases is rising in the Sunshine State. Only a day earlier, Florida reported 17,093 new daily cases.
The previous peak in Florida had been 19,334 cases reported on January 7.
Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld are the latest theme park resorts in Florida to again ask visitors to wear masks indoors, with Universal also ordering its employees to wear face coverings to protect against Covid-19, which has been surging across the state.