Florida Joins The Top Five States With Massive COVID-19 Case Totals
The Sunshine State hit another mile marker over the 4th of July weekend. Florida's recent COVID-19 cases pushed the state into the country's top five with massive totals. It hit the benchmark after two days of five-digit increases.
The total COVID-19 count now stands at 200,111, which put the state in third place in the United States for the most novel coronavirus cases. It trails behind California and New York, with the former now in striking distance.
As of Monday, July 6, the breakdown is:
While Floridians were celebrating a modified holiday weekend, the case numbers for the disease continued to soar. After Florida set yet another record-breaking high with 11,443 positive test results on Friday, the weekend showed a continual increase, with 10,059 added onto the total on Sunday.
While not a record, it continues Florida's spike in COVID-19, which the state has been experiencing for more than a month. The sudden sharp rise has officials from the Panhandle to the Keys taking new measures to stop the spread.
Over the weekend, most of South Florida, from St. Lucie to Miami-Dade, closed their beaches with the hopes that keeping the shoreline crowd-free would help drive down cases. Mandatory face mask ordinances are now in effect in major counties and cities.
Miami-Dade County has taken the strictest stance toward corralling the disease. In addition to a beefed-up face mask ordinance and crackdown on businesses, Mayor Carlos Giménez has reinstituted a curfew and reversed his decision to open entertainment venues until further notice.
"I am also rolling back the reopening of entertainment facilities, such as movie theaters, arcades, casinos," he said. It also includes "adult entertainment, concert houses, bowling alleys and other establishments that have recently had their plans approved by the County."
Bars, which were previously part of the phase 2 guidelines, have also felt the heat throughout the state.
In recent weeks, the state's Department of Business and Professional Regulation has since suspended on-site alcohol consumption in response to the growing number of cases.