Coronavirus Updates: Florida Could be Next Epicenter of COVID-19 Cases; 1.5 Million Americans Apply for Unemployment

Health experts say Florida is poised to be the next epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.

The state could be headed for the "worst it has ever been," according to projections by scientists with the PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

According to the group's weekly report on coronavirus spread, "Florida has all the makings of the next large epicenter … the risk there is the worst it has ever been in our projections."

Gov. Ron DeSantis has pegged the increase in cases on more widespread testing. But scientists say that's not necessarily the case.

"We did have an increase in testing from a couple of weeks ago, if you look at sort of a weekly pattern of testing, but what I'm seeing now is that increase in cases is outpacing an increase in testing," Cindy Prins, epidemiology professor at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, told WESH-TV.

"You have to look at what's happening right now, and what we're seeing right now is a high percent increase in cases."

Florida's older population, record number of cases in recent days and several other factors make the state vulnerable to a major outbreak.

"The potential for the virus to take off there is very, very nerve-racking and could have catastrophic consequences" Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, an infectious disease expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told CNN.

Florida has reported more than 85,900 cases of COVID-19 and at least 3,061 deaths, according to data tracked by Johns Hopkins University, with more than 2,000 new cases each day over the past week.

The state is one of several to see a surge in cases since Memorial Day. The PolicyLab says Texas, Arizona and the Carolinas are also at risk of continued widespread transmission.

Latest Developments

United States:

-The mayor of Tampa, Florida, says face masks must be worn in all indoor public areas, effective at 5 p.m. Friday. Mayor Jane Castor made the announcement during a county meeting on Thursday, after a divided discussion on whether to impose a county-wide face covering rule.

-Californians are now required to wear face masks in most cases when they are out in public, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday afternoon. The rule applies to all public and common spaces indoors, as well as outdoors when social distancing isn't possible.

-Another 1.5 million people in the U.S. filed for unemployment last week, even as most sectors of the economy continue to reopen. Labor Department numbers released Thursday show that 58,000 fewer applied for unemployment in the week ending June 13 than the prior week. Economists had predicted a sharper decline in applications due to the opportunity for workers to return to their jobs. “It does seem like there are many new people filing for unemployment, and this is worrisome when we are three months into the crisis and you are starting to see re-openings across the nation," Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, a forecasting and analyst firm, told The Associated Press.

-President Trump vowed on Wednesday not to shut down the U.S. economy again, even as infections and deaths from COVID-19 continue to increase.

-Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed an executive order authorizing up to 300 National Guard members to help with contact tracing in his state, where hospitalizations and infections are surging.

Worldwide:

-New Zealand saw its third case of a traveler infected with coronavirus this week. The man traveled from Pakistan through Australia, according to the Washington Post, and showed symptoms two days after arriving in New Zealand on Saturday. He was tested on Tuesday. New Zealand had declared itself virus-free earlier this month and continued to maintain strict border and quarantine protocols. Earlier this week it was reported that two women who had traveled to the country from London had COVID-19.

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page.

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