> The state of Florida on Friday recorded its highest ever single-day increase in COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with 21,683 new infections, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Friday’s infection surge comes as the Sunshine State is emerging as the new epicenter for the virus. The new tally outpaces the state’s previous peak measured in early January, when daily new cases reached a total of 19,334.
Florida on Thursday recorded 17,093 new cases, according to the CDC, even as the state's vaccination rate has recently increased.