‘Nightmare’: Staggering US infection surge
The US state of Florida today registered a record breaking 15,299 coronavirus cases in a single day.
The daily increase smashes the previous record for a US state previously held by New York of 12,274 cases on April 4.
It also surpasses California's 11,694 cases registered on Wednesday.
Florida has recorded 55,842 new cases in just five days as the outbreak worsens across the US.
Florida's Republican governor Ron DeSantis ordered an end to the state's lockdown on May 4, well before most other states.
Florida has about 6x the population of Berlin.
— Emily of the State (@EmilyGorcenski) July 12, 2020
Florida had 11000+ cases yesterday.
Scaled to population, that would be like if Berlin had 1830 cases yesterday.
It had 20.
It’s had <9000 total. Since this began.
US health official Anthony Fauci criticised that policy on Thursday, saying Florida had moved out of its lockdown before public health indicators justified such the move.
In a partial reversal in late June, Mr DeSantis ordered bars to be closed again.
Nonetheless, infections continued to rise.
More than a quarter of a million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Florida.
At least 4346 people have died from coronavirus in the state.
Walt Disney World reopened in Florida on Saturday despite the coronavirus surge.

Yesterday the US recorded 63,051 new cases. That's down from 66,625 the day before but well beyond the previous peak of 48,529 on April 26.
The nation has recorded more than 3.2 million infections - well beyond second-placed Brazil's 1.8 million and India's 849,000.
There have been more than 134,000 deaths in the US linked to the coronavirus outbreak.
Authorities in Texas recently warned coronavirus is spreading so fast in southern US tracing is no longer possible.
The outbreak in Northern #California is growing at a faster rate than SoCal, even if it is still more modest, ATM. Deaths growing in SoCal. Testing is increasing nicely. But the outbreak is substantial, even if positive rate is more favorable than Texas, Florida, Arizona. pic.twitter.com/FIfMbxUHpl
— (((Howard Forman))) (@thehowie) July 12, 2020
Florida reported 15,000 NEW CASES of coronavirus today, a record for any state.
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) July 12, 2020
Disney World is open
The Governor refuses to require people to wear masks in pubic

AUSTRALIA'S OUTBREAK
Meanwhile in Australia, cases continue to surge in Victoria. The state recorded 273 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday.
Of the new cases, 22 are linked to outbreaks, 25 were identified through routine testing and 226 are under investigation.
No new cases have been detected in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
To date, 24 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria.
Originally published as 'Nightmare': Staggering US infection surge
Heat wave in Texas on top of coronavirus. Expect higher numbers in two weeks. It’s a nightmare. I took my family to the museum—we were the only visitors. I suspect everyone else is at pools, lakes, rivers, beaches, water parks.
— Elena Mikalsen, Ph.D. (@WF_writerEM) July 12, 2020