Gov. Ron DeSantis Blames Hispanic Workers For Rise Of COVID-19 Cases In Florida

The state of Florida is having an uptick of new COVID-19 cases at almost 4,000 Friday (June 19) and 3,207 the day before, and Gov. Ron DeSantis blames the alarming rise to clusters of Hispanic workers in the agriculture industry.

Scientists projected that the Sunshine State could be "the next large epicenter of coronavirus transmission," amid reports from healthcare workers that hospitalizations have indeed increased, according to CNN.

But DeSantis has no plans to shut down Florida again. It was one of the first states to reopen in April.

The governor also said that the new coronavirus cases could be traced to migrant camps at watermelon farms and tomato production plants, where 100 workers were tested for coronavirus, and 90% had positive results.

"Some of these guys go to work in a school bus, and they are all just packed there like sardines, going across Palm Beach County or some of these other places, and there’s all these opportunities to have transmission,” DeSantis said.

Farmers blame DeSantis for their vulnerability after the governor apparently ignored their requests for aid in April. Antonio Tovar of the Farmworker Association of Florida said that they wrote to the governor two months ago to provide protection for some 50 groups of workers.

"Now he is realizing that foreign workers are more suitable to get infected," Tovar said. "That is very shameful because he was advised, he was told when we sent the letter.”

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, however, said that most of the migrant workers left Florida after the end of harvest season several weeks ago. Fried implied that the new COVID-19 cases are not in the agricultural areas, per Miami Herald.

Meanwhile, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said that some businesses are renting out their establishments as "party homes," and locals are "getting way too comfortable" as lockdown measures are eased off. The mayor said that they would have to step up and enforce the protective measures, especially for businesses that violate restrictions, to stop the virus transmission from getting out of control.