Gov. DeSantis speaks in The Villages, says highest spike in COVID-19 cases is among those aged 25-34

THE VILLAGES, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis spoke at The Villages Regional Medical Center, giving his take on what's being done to fight COVID-19 and what needed to be done better.

Flanked by doctors and officials from UF Health, DeSantis said he thought theme parks were doing a great job of battling the virus.

“You can have society function in a way that keeps people safe,” DeSantis said. “When you have society function in a way that keeps people safe. When you have all the different procedures they have in place, it'll be a safe environment. Disney, I have no doubt, will be a safe environment.”

As the number of positive coronavirus cases continue to creep up around the state, DeSantis referred to figures from last week showing nearly 15 percent of tests in the state were positive for COVID-19 infections.

“Really, it shows you that real significant increase in those 20 and 30-year-olds testing positive. That's where most of the transmission is coming from, particularly in metro areas like Orlando and Hillsborough,” he said.

With another 6,300 new coronavirus cases around the state, DeSantis said young people needed to do their part.

He said that, by far, the highest spike in positive infections was among 25 to 34-year-olds.

“This is a virus that does not affect all age groups equally. It's much more lethal for people in their 80s and 90s than it is in your 20s and 30s,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis didn't discuss any statewide mask mandate or new shutdowns.

He stressed three things in keeping Floridians safe: Avoiding tight spaces, crowds and close-contact settings.