Daily US Times: It’s been a month of harrowing milestones set across the United States, with the US beating its own single-day record of total new coronavirus cases at least nine times.
According to Johns Hopkins University data, on July 16, the country reported its latest single-day record with at least 77,255 new cases. The second highest number was reported a day later: 71,558. On Saturday, the number was 63,698.
On June 16, when most of the states deep into their reopening plans, the country reported more than 23,700 cases of the virus. After what some saw as hopeful dips in cases, the southern states and other parts of the country warned of an increase in young people testing positive.
Images emerged of crowded parties and beaches, despite experts cautioning Americans to stay home when possible.
Florida reported nearly 4,000 new cases in a single-day record in mid-June, a record single-day increase back then. The state has since become the country’s hotspot, reporting more than 10,300 new cases on Saturday alone.
Hospitals across the country have reached capacity in the past few weeks. At least 27 US states have halted or rolled back their reopening plans to contain the spread of the virus. New estimates from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say at least 40% of people who get the virus could show no symptoms, which means thousands of Americans could be unknowingly still infecting others.
Now, officials point to crowded bars or gatherings as some of the major drivers of the surge. To prevent further spikes, parts of the country — including Texas, California and Arizona — have closed bars back down. After outcries from terrified parents and educators, local leaders have begun pushing schools to remote instruction in the fall. More mask requirements are going into effect across the country, despite consistent backlash from some Americans. Face masks, experts have said, are the most powerful weapon against the virus.
according to an ensemble forecast published by the CDC, with the surge in cases, models are projecting more than 150,000 American deaths will be linked to the virus by August 8. The previous forecast projected roughly 147,000 deaths by August 1. It was published on July 9.
Johns Hopkins University data shows at least 140,119 Americans have died of the virus. There have now been more than 3.7 million cases in the country.
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