Jul 9, 2020 - Health

Florida reports highest single-day coronavirus death toll since pandemic began

Orion Rummler

A car in a coronavirus drive thru test — People are tested for COVID-19 in Orlando, Florida on July 8. Photo: Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images

120 people in Florida have died from the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the state's health department reported on Thursday.

Why it matters: It's the state's highest daily death toll from the coronavirus since the pandemic began, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.

Where it stands: Hillsborough, Duval and Orange Counties have joined Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach as the most highly infected areas in the state, according to Florida's health department.

Just over 4,000 people have died in Florida and over 17,000 people have been hospitalized.
The state reported its highest single-day caseload last week, with 11,405 infections reported on Friday.

What's happening: Florida's education commissioner ordered schools to reopen in August, saying in an emergency order on Monday that they must be open “at least five days per week for all students."

The Mayor of Miami-Dade County on Thursday issued a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew "until further notice" as infections continued to surge.

The big picture: Coronavirus deaths are ticking up in the new hotspots of Florida, Texas and Arizona, even as they continue to trend down nationally, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports.

Go deeper ... Fauci: "False narrative" to take comfort in lower coronavirus death rate

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Florida reports highest single-day coronavirus death toll since pandemic began

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