(Reuters) – The United States reported more than 55,000 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, the largest daily increase by any country, according to a Reuters count.
FILE PHOTO: Pedestrians in masks walk down the sidewalk in the Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, USA, July 1, 2020. REUTERS / Lucas Jackson
An increase in coronavirus cases in the United States over the past week has put President Donald Trump’s handling of the crisis under a microscope and has led several governors to halt plans to reopen their states after strict blockades.
The US daily count stood at 55,274 on Thursday night, breaking the previous single-day record of 54,771 set by Brazil on June 19.
Just two weeks ago, the United States reported 22,000 new cases per day. According to the count, she has now reported more than 40,000 cases for seven consecutive days and broken records for new cases for three days in a row.
New infections increased in 37 of the 50 US states in the past 14 days compared to the previous two weeks in early June, according to a Reuters analysis.
Florida reported the largest increase of any state so far on Thursday, registering more than 10,000 new cases in a single day. With 21 million residents, the state has reported more new cases of coronavirus daily than any other European country had at the height of its outbreaks.
(Open tmsnrt.rs/2WTOZDR and tmsnrt.rs/3dM9TLE in an external browser for Reuters interactive)
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned earlier this week that the daily increase in new cases in the United States could reach 100,000 without nationwide measures to reduce the rate.
While test rates have increased, so has the percentage of positive results. Hospitalizations have also skyrocketed.
Nationwide, 7% of coronavirus diagnostic tests tested positive last week, compared to 5% the previous week, according to a Reuters analysis. Arizona’s positivity rate was 24% last week, Florida’s was 16%. Nevada, South Carolina and Texas were at 15%, according to the analysis.
Written by Lisa Shumaker; Edited by Jane Wardell
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