Multiple states in the U.S. are becoming coronavirus hot spots, with Florida reaching a grim milestone on Sunday, as revealed by data from Johns Hopkins University.
Florida Topples New York's Confirmed Cases Log
New York, with 411,736 infections, used to be second hardest-hit state in the U.S. but on Sunday, Florida took over the reins, logging a total of 423,855 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started.
Florida has been the latest hot spot of coronavirus cases in the United States, marking its highest daily increase of 15,299 cases earlier this month. It remains to be seen whether the state will also overtake the hardest-hit state in the country, California.
The news came amid increasing calls for Gov. Ron DeSantis to impose a state-wide mandatory mask order that will require all residents to wear face coverings whenever they are in public.
DeSantis' Approval Rating Drops
Aside from refusing to impose a mask mandate, DeSantis has also been slow in imposing strict social distancing guidelines across the state, calling for further criticism on his handling of the crisis.
In recent poll numbers, DeSantis' approval rating dropped to 41 percent, the lowest figure yet since he became the governor of Florida.
Over the weekend, news of DeSantis' coronavirus handling have been filling up news sites, with many questioning the governor's earlier comments that downplayed the severity of the crisis in the state.
Texas 'Death Panel'
Meanwhile in Texas, the fourth hardest-hit state in the country, "death panels" have been set up to determine whether patients can still be saved or whether they will be sent home with no hope for recovery.
Hospitals in some counties have also raised concerns about capacity reaching their limits. Health experts noted that social gatherings since earlier this month helped spread the virus in the state.
In some counties such as in Starr, health resources are limited, causing problems for health providers and infected patients. At the Starr County Memorial Hospital, doctors have no choice but to choose who gets treated and who doesn't.
As of Sunday, Texas has logged 381,656 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 5,038 deaths.
Mask Mandate Still an Issue for Some Local Leaders
Despite most of the rest of the world already getting used to the use of face coverings whenever in public, many towns across the United States have yet to see state-wide or county-wide mandates due to the resistance of some local leaders.
In at least four counties in Indiana, sheriffs said they will not impose a mask order that the state announced last week. The same is true in one county Butler County in Ohio, wherein the sheriff said he is not responsible for enforcing a mask policy.
White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said the response team has recommended "that 100% of people should wearing masks in any indoor public space."
It remains to be seen whether local leaders who have been resisting state-wide mask mandates will start to concede as the United States continues to record more cases and deaths than any other country in the world.
