New coronavirus Cases in the United States have risen to their highest level in two months and are now back to where they were at the peak of the outbreak. New cases have been emerging for more than a week after a downward trend for more than six weeks.
On Tuesday, the USA USA They reported 34,700 new cases of COVID-19, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University that was released Wednesday. There have only been two previous days in which EE. USA It has reported more cases: April 9 and April 24, when 36,400 cases were recorded.
While early hot spots like New York and New Jersey have seen cases decline steadily, the virus has been hitting the south and west. Several states established single-day records on Tuesday for new cases, including Arizona, California, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas.
In the past two weeks, coronavirus hospitalizations have been trending upward in at least 14 states, including Texas, where there is concern that the spread is accelerating, Mireya Villarreal of CBS News reported Wednesday.
Dr. Marc Boom, president and CEO of Houston Methodist hospitals, said the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in that city has tripled since Memorial Day.
“If we don’t all work together to reduce this curve, yes, we will have a difficult situation,” he said.
As the average rate of positive tests continues to rise, Texas Governor Greg Abbott is urging people in his state to stay home.
“Because the spread is so widespread right now, there is never a reason for you to have to leave your home,” he said.
Texas is one of 26 states reporting an increase in the daily average of coronavirus cases compared to two weeks ago. Cases in Oklahoma increased 245% during that same period, and 168% in Florida.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert, told Congress on Tuesday that the next two weeks will be critical in addressing the surge in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and other states. He urged people not to enter the crowds, and to wear masks if they do.
Fauci also expressed confidence that a vaccine could be ready by the end of this year or early 2021, saying it is a question of “‘when’ and not ‘if'”.
The cases have been escalating in other parts of the world. India has reported a record daily increase of almost 16,000 new cases. Mexico has also set a record with more than 6,200 new cases, and the country reported nearly 800 new deaths on Wednesday.
More than 9.2 million people worldwide have been infected with the virus and more than 478,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
-Grace Segers contributed reporting.
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