US sets another record for COVID-19 cases in one day

EMS workers pick up a suspected COVID-19 positive patient in the Rio Grande Historic District of El Paso, Texas on November 15, 2020.  The US surpassed 14 million coronavirus cases as of December 6, 2020, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. (Photo by Justin HAMEL / AFP)

WASHINGTON – For the third day in a row, the United States on Saturday notched a record number of coronavirus cases in 24 hours, reaching nearly 230,00 new infections, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

In that same stretch the US recorded 2,527 COVID-related deaths, according to real-time data provided by the Baltimore-based university at 8:30 pm (0130 GMT Saturday).

The United States — the country with the most coronavirus cases and deaths in the world — has seen a dramatic resurgence in its epidemic in recent weeks.

US health officials warned of a surge after millions of Americans traveled to celebrate last week’s Thanksgiving holiday despite pleas from authorities to stay home.

For two weeks, the US has regularly topped 2,000 deaths per day, as it had in the spring at the height of the first wave of the country’s outbreak.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is also steadily increasing, especially in the most populous states of California, Florida, New York and Texas, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

The United States has recorded more than 14.6 million COVID cases and more than 281,000 related deaths since the start of the pandemic.

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