FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is downplaying a spike in COVID-19 cases that’s shattered state hospitalization.
Also Tuesday, DeSantis strongly reiterated his vow not to impose a mask mandate or any business restrictions.
With the much more contagious delta variant now spreading exponentially, Florida hit 11,515 hospitalized patients, breaking last year’s record for the third straight day and up from just 1,000 in mid-June. DeSantis said he expects hospitalizations to drop in the next couple weeks.
He asserted that the spike is seasonal as Floridians spend more time together indoors to escape the summer heat and humidity.
