Florida breaks its record for daily COVID-19 deaths -- again

The state of Florida has broken its record for the highest daily average in COVID-19 deaths yet again.

The Miami Herald reports that Florida on Thursday reported 1,338 new COVID-19 deaths, and the state has also averaged 325 deaths a day for the last week, which the paper calls "a record high."

And unlike other states that were hit early with the delta variant of the novel coronavirus, Florida has not seen a significant decline in cases and is now averaging more than 22,000 new cases per day.

Florida also still has nearly 15,000 residents hospitalized with COVID-19, which accounts for roughly one quarter of all people hospitalized in the state.

Despite this, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has refused to back off his opposition to mask mandates and vaccine mandates, and his administration has taken steps in recent weeks to strip funding from schools that implement mask mandates and to fine businesses that ask customers for proof of vaccination.