STATEWIDE — After shattering the one-day record for coronavirus infections earlier this week, the state of Florida eclipsed that number to set another daily record just 24 hours later.

According to state Health Department data, there were more than 3,822 new COVID-19 cases reported statewide Friday, eclipsing the 3,207 cases the day before.

There were 43 new deaths reported Thursday, and the overall positivity percentage rate statewide now up to 5.9 percent.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday told reporters that the median age of cases was dropping, with 62 percent of new cases in Florida for the week of June 7 under the age of 45.

DeSantis pointed to single-day cases in Hillsborough, Orange and Seminole counties as examples of the downward trend in median ages.

• Hillsborough: 31
• Seminole: 26
• Orange: 29

"A lot of the people who are testing positive now are not symptomatic," DeSantis said.

In Orange County, there were 374 new cases in the past 24 hours, according to the state Department of Health. Polk and Seminole counties also had triple-digit case increases. Brevard, Lake, and Marion counties had double-digit increases, and there were seven new cases in Sumter County. In Volusia County, health officials say 40% of new cases in the last two weeks involve people ages 20 to 35.

Because of the sharp increase, officials in Seminole County are opening up drive-thru testing sites across the region every day next week.  

The numbers are being watched closely by local leaders. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings on Thursday signed an executive order requiring everyone in the county, including visitors, to wear a face covering in public. That order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. Demings said when it comes to enforcement, he hopes to see a voluntary compliance. 

However, while there will be no fines or penalties for those found violating the mask mandate, Demings says if people are not complying and case numbers continue to climb, the next phase will include a penalty.

Leaders in Volusia County were asked Friday if they would make wearing face masks mandatory. They said no, because it is too difficult to enforce, but they highly encourage it. Lynx does not require face masks while riding its buses. 

“You wear a mask to protect someone else," explained Dr. Joe Smith, Chief Medical Officer at AdventHealth in DeLand. "You do not wear a mask to protect yourself. ... Most of us, if not all of us need to be wearing a mask when we are out in public for the masks to work."

The city of Tampa also has instituted a mandatory face covering rule that began Friday.

DeSantis on Friday said he would not issue a mask order, but did encourage that people wear masks, and that each area of the state should decide what is best.

The Florida Medical Association has also urged local governments to adopt mandates to wear face coverings, The organization said if you’re asymptomatic and not wearing a face covering, you could be releasing infectious aerosol particles while just breathing and speaking.

Nationwide, several other states are recording their highest average daily counts of positive cases. In Arizona and Alabama — two states with significant spikes — calls for mandating masks are meeting mixed reactions, while other places, such as Texas, continue to reopen despite the spikes.

The U.S. has had 2.2 million coronavirus infections and more than 120,000 deaths.

Reporter Rachael Krause contributed to this story.