By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Tuesday's 2,703 new reported coronavirus cases Tuesday has pushed the Sunshine State to a new threshhold - more than 80,000 COVID-19 cases.
For the third time in the past four days, the Sunshine State has had to deal with more than 2,000 cases in a single day.
Despite the increases, Florida's governor was adamant there would be no new shelter in place decree.
“We’re not shutting down - we’re going to go forward," DeSantis said. "We’re not rolling back. You have to have society function.”
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the lone statewide-elected Democrat, ripped the governor’s handling of the pandemic in a prepared statement.
“Today’s record-high new cases makes it clear: Governor DeSantis has lost control of Florida’s COVID-19 response,'' Fried said. "His policies are simply not working, and he’s recklessly reopening Florida despite the data screaming for caution.
De Santis was asked at the press confererence if those attending the Republican National Comnvention in Jacksonville should wear masks: He did't answer.
Fried implored Floridians and visitors to the state to wear masks and continue social distancing.
"Just because a place is open, doesn’t mean it’s safe to go there,” Fried said. "To our local governments, please encourage your residents to stay home, mask up, and socially distance. If the governor is unwilling to make the right decisions, then they must be made in our cities, our states, and our homes.''
DeSantis said the increase numbers of infected are dur to a much larger younger age group - 25 to 45 - getting tested -- and less likely to get seriously ill or die.