Health officials report that Florida has surpassed 50,000 coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began with more than one fourth of those succumbing this summer as the US state battled a fierce surge in infections fuelled by the Delta variant.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention tallied 50,811 deaths after adding more than 1,500 Covid-19 deaths provided in the last 24 hours by the state’s health department. Those reported deaths occurred over various dates in recent weeks.

Governor Ron DeSantis spoke somberly when asked about surpassing 50,000 deaths during a Fort Lauderdale news conference promoting the use of monoclonal antibodies, a treatment for people infected with the disease that reduces death and hospitalisation if given early.

“It has been a really tough year and a half,” DeSantis said.

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