Florida reports highest number of daily COVID-19 cases since January

Florida reported 12,647 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest daily number of cases since the end of January, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The last time Florida exceeded that number was on January 30, when it recorded 14,654 cases. The United States recorded 55,132 cases on Wednesday, meaning Florida’s daily tally accounted for about 23% of the new cases reported by the CDC for that day.

This is a troubling trend for the Sunshine State as it has started to see a recent increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. According to data from the Florida Department of Health, the state reported 45,603 new cases between July 9 and July 15. The state recorded 23,562 new cases the previous week.

Last week, the White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff ZientsJeff ZientsLas Vegas Follow LA Lead In Recommending Inner Mask Requirement Overnight Healthcare: CDC Director Warns of ‘Unvaccinated Pandemic’ | Biden says social media platforms are ‘killing people’ | Florida accounts for 20 percent of new White House cases: Florida accounts for 20 percent of all new COVID-19 PLUS infections said Florida accounted for about 20% of new cases in the country.

“Just four states accounted for more than 40% of all cases over the past week, with 1 in 5 cases just in Florida,” Zients said in a briefing last Friday.

Despite this, the Govt. Ron DeSantisRon DeSantisDeSantis urges public to get vaccinated: shots ‘save lives’ Poll: Trump leads 2024 GOP primary followed by Pence, DeSantis Republicans divided on difficulty pushing vaccines MORE (R) played down the state’s recent spike in cases and called it a “seasonal virus” on Monday. He predicted that cases would be down the following month.

Still, he defended the effectiveness of vaccines and appealed to residents to get vaccinated if they haven’t already.

“If you look at people admitted to hospitals … over 95% of them are not fully or not vaccinated at all,” DeSantis said Wednesday. “These vaccines save lives. They reduce mortality.

The state reported that 59% of Florida residents aged 12 and older have been vaccinated according to data released last Friday, although vaccinations have started to decline in recent weeks.

Vincent Hsu, an epidemiologist, told WFLA station in Tampa last week that the delta variant made up the majority of new cases in the state.

These comments were echoed on Tuesday by the director of the CDC Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky Salt Lake City Mayor and City Council sign joint resolution declaring racism a public health crisis Illinois reports six times more cases of gamma variant than delta: Report from Texas hospital points to first case lambda variant COVID-19 PLUS, who said the delta variant of the coronavirus was responsible for 83% of sequenced COVID-19 cases in the United States.