Florida breaks daily record with more than 21,000 new COVID cases

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida reported 21,683 caller cases of COVID-19, the state’s highest one-day full since the commencement of the pandemic, according to national wellness information released Saturday, arsenic its taxable parkland resorts again started asking visitors to deterioration masks indoors.

The authorities has go the caller nationalist epicenter for the virus, accounting for astir a 5th of each caller cases successful the U.S. arsenic the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus continues to spread.

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has resisted mandatory disguise mandates and vaccine requirements, and on with the authorities Legislature, has constricted section officials’ quality to enforce restrictions meant to halt the dispersed of COVID-19. DeSantis connected Friday barred schoolhouse districts from requiring students to deterioration masks erstwhile classes resume adjacent month.

The latest numbers were recorded connected Friday and released connected Saturday connected the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. The figures amusement however rapidly the fig of cases is rising successful the Sunshine State: lone a time earlier, Florida reported 17,093 caller regular cases. The erstwhile highest successful Florida had been 19,334 cases reported connected Jan. 7, earlier the availability of vaccinations became widespread.

The authorities reported 409 deaths this week, bringing the full to much than 39,000 since its archetypal successful March 2020. The state’s highest happened successful mid-August 2020, erstwhile 1,266 radical died implicit a seven-day period. Deaths usually travel increases successful hospitalizations by a fewer weeks.

DeSantis has blamed the surge connected a seasonal summation — much Floridians are indoors due to the fact that of the blistery upwind with aerial conditioning circulating the virus. About 60% of Floridians 12 and older are vaccinated, ranking it astir midway among the states.

The Florida Hospital Association said Friday that statewide COVID-19 hospitalizations are nearing past year’s peak, and 1 of the state’s largest wellness attraction systems, AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division, this week advised it would nary longer beryllium conducting nonemergency surgeries successful bid to escaped up resources for COVID-19 patients.

Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld connected Saturday became the latest taxable parkland resorts successful Florida to again inquire visitors to deterioration masks indoors, with Universal besides ordering its employees to deterioration look coverings to support against COVID-19, which has been surging crossed the state.

All workers astatine Universal’s Florida parkland connected Saturday started being required to deterioration masks portion indoors arsenic the employees returned to practicing societal distancing. The location to Harry Potter and Despicable Me rides besides asked visitors to travel national and section wellness guidelines by voluntarily wearing look coverings indoors.

“The wellness and information of our guests and squad members is ever our apical priority,” Universal said successful a statement.

Health officials connected Friday announced that coronavirus cases successful Florida had jumped 50% implicit the past week with COVID-19 hospitalizations successful the authorities nearing past year’s peak.

SeaWorld connected Saturday posted connected its website that it was recommending that visitors travel precocious updated national recommendations and deterioration look coverings portion indoors.

The alteration successful argumentation this week astatine the taxable parkland resorts came aft the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that everyone deterioration masks indoors, careless of vaccination status.

Crosstown rival Walt Disney World started requiring employees and guests older than 2 to deterioration masks connected Friday, but it besides went a measurement further. The Walt Disney Co. said successful a connection that it volition beryllium requiring each salaried and non-union hourly employees successful the U.S. who enactment connected tract to beryllium afloat vaccinated.

Disney employees who aren’t already vaccinated volition person 60 days to bash truthful and those inactive moving from location volition request to amusement impervious of vaccination earlier returning. Disney said it was discussing the vaccine requirements with the union, and added that each caller hires volition beryllium required to beryllium afloat vaccinated earlier starting enactment astatine the company.