Florida – Recording more than 31,700 new infections as of the latest numbers released, Florida reached its daily COVID-19 case record.
The 31,758 new cases reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pushed Florida’s total to more than 3,864,288 since the pandemic began.
This number also reflects the most cases reported by the state in a single day since Aug. 26, when Florida had a daily record of 27,668 new cases.
Florida’s cases have skyrocketed in recent days, averaging over 14,600 in the past seven days, after the 7-day average had been less than 2,000 cases as recently as Dec. 9.
Shortly after opening their doors Friday to allow residents to get an at-home COVID rapid test, several libraries in Miami-Dade County were already turning people away.
Residents and visitors lined up at five locations throughout the county hours before doors opened at 8:30 a.m. At the Westchester Regional Library location, the first 1,500 kits were distributed in less than 30 minutes.
Miami-Dade Police were forced to turn away drivers from the library as people were stunned and frustrated with how quickly they were distributed. Another 1,500 kits arrived later Friday morning, but were also quickly handed out.
Florida’s COVID-19 related death toll remained at 62,347 as of Thursday. It often takes days or weeks to report virus-related deaths.
