The United States reported more than 75,600 cases of COVID-19 on Thursday alone, setting a new daily record as cases continue to rise across the country.
Bleak milestone marks 11th Time in the last month that the United States has broken this record for a single day, according to The New York Times. The previous record for daily recorded cases was set last Friday at 68,241 cases.
Deaths amid the coronavirus pandemic also hit new highs this week.
Florida reported 156 new deaths Thursday, its highest record since the pandemic began in March. The new deaths bring the state total to at least 4,677 related to COVID-19.
Florida was one of 10 states that set a record for single-day deaths this week, including Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, according to the Times.
The news comes after state leaders have begun to focus on facial masks to stop the spread of the disease.
Arkansas Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson issued an order Thursday that state residents wear face masks or covers in public in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.
Colorado government Jared Polis
PolisColorado Governor Jared Schutz issues a mask mandate statewide Colorado Governor says “you are a selfish bastard” if you refuse to wear a mask. (D) also issued a statewide mask mandate on Thursday.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) announced a mask mandate Wednesday that will continue through the end of the month as COVID-19 cases continue to escalate in the state.
“Despite all our best efforts, we are seeing increases in cases that occur every day and we are almost to the point that hospital ICUs are overwhelmed,” Ivey told reporters this week.
The United States has reported more than 3.5 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and 138,268 deaths through Friday morning, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
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