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Florida broke the record for the biggest one-day total of current COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services says that 10,207 people were hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Sunshine State.
The previous record was on July 23, 2030, over half a year before vaccinations started rolling out across the nation. The state had 10,170 hospitalizations that day, according to Florida Hospital Association.
On top of record-breaking hospitalizations, Florida reported 21,683 news cases COVID-19, the state’s highest one-day total since the start of the pandemic, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Saturday (July 31).
"The recent rise is both striking and not-at-all surprising," Jason Salemi told Fox News via email. He is an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Florida.
Hospitals, ambulances, and medical systems across the Sunshine State have been overwhelmed by the uptick in new cases, particularly from the delta variant of the virus sweeping the world.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis has pushed back at the idea of reinstating mask mandates and vaccine requirements in the wake of new infections.
He, and the Florida Legislature, have "limited local officials’ ability to impose restrictions meant to stop the spread of COVID-19. DeSantis on Friday barred school districts from requiring students to wear masks when classes resume next month," Fox News wrote.
Nikki Fried, who is running for governor against DeSantis, urged Floridians to get vaccinated on Sunday (August 1).
"We are already behind the curve and in a worse spot every time the numbers come out," Fried said at a news conference in Tallahassee. "This surge is and will impact every single one of us."