Home Coronavirus Florida Emerges As World’s New Epicenter For COVID-19

Florida Emerges As World’s New Epicenter For COVID-19

  Florida has emerged as a global epicenter of the latest coronavirus surge, raising questions about the safety of major events that relocated to the state.

As coronavirus cases surged throughout much of the Northeast in April and May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) declared victory.

[Florida Health Dept. LIVE COVID-19 tracking]

Florida was one of the last states to impose a stay-at-home order, and one of the first to reopen. DeSantis earned praise from President Trump for his response to the pandemic and attacked the media for fearmongering after the state reopened its beaches.

“When you look at some of the most draconian orders that have been issued in some of these states and compare Florida in terms of our hospitalizations … I mean, you go from D.C., Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois — you name it — Florida has done better,” DeSantis said from the Oval Office in late April.

Buoyed by the low infection rates and encouraged by the White House, the state’s first phase of reopening included restaurants, gyms, barbershops and large spectator sporting events, with reduced capacity.

[vc_btn title=”Continue reading” color=”primary” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fhomenews%2Fstate-watch%2F506492-florida-emerges-as-worlds-new-epicenter-for-covid-19||target:%20_blank|”][vc_message message_box_style=”solid-icon” message_box_color=”blue”]TheHill, excerpt posted on SouthFloridaReporter.comJuly 9, 2020[/vc_message]