By Diane Craft
© Reuters / MIKE BLAKE
Health workers protest outside hospital over Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Fountain Valley, California
(Reuters) – The United States set a record for coronavirus cases on Saturday, with more than 5 million people now infected, according to a Reuters census, as the country’s official infectious disease hope earlier this week suggests that an effective vaccine could be available by the end of the year.
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With one in every 66 residents infected, the United States leads the world in COVID-19 cases, according to a Reuters analysis. The country has recorded more than 160,000 deaths, nearly a quarter of the world’s total.
The grim milestone comes when President Donald Trump signed executive orders intended to provide economic relief to Americans hurt by the coronavirus pandemic after the White House failed to reach a deal with Congress.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that employment growth in the United States slowed in July, underscoring an urgent need for additional government assistance.
Dr Anthony Fauci told Reuters on Wednesday that there could be at least one vaccine that works and is safe by the end of the year. But Trump offered a more optimistic view, saying it was possible the United States would have a coronavirus vaccine by the time of the Nov. 3 presidential election.
(Report by Diane Craft; Edited by Aurora Ellis and Sonya Hepinstall)
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