The United States reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day, with 45,557 confirmed cases reported on Wednesday, according to a tally by NBC News.
The grim milestone reported on Wednesday surpassed the previous highest daily count of more than 9,000 cases on April 26.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported its single-day record on Sunday, with over 183,000 new coronavirus cases reported globally.
Experts said that the recent surge in Western and Southern states could be due to Memorial Day gatherings and large protests. They also said the resurgence has started to occur when states began to reopen business and ease lockdown restrictions.
On Wednesday, governors of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut said visitors who travel from US hotspots who arrive in the states will be asked to quarantine for 14 days.
Unfortunately, in many states, hospitals are becoming overwhelmed by new COVID-19 patients.
For instance, in Florida, where over 109,000 cases have been reported, available capacity for ICUs is merely 21 percent, according to state data, while only 12 percent of Arizona’s ICU beds are available.
Head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Dr. Anthony Fauci has recently praised California’s response and appreciated the fight against COVID-19 to a social justice crusade.
He told the Sacramento Press Club, “Californians have risen to the occasion on social issues so well in the past, you’ve been the leaders in the country on those things.”
“This is an issue that really has social responsibility associated with it,” he added.
Still, California recorded its biggest single-day record of new cases on Wednesday, with an additional 7,149 new cases reported, bringing the state’s total number of confirmed cases to 190,222.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has pleaded the state residents on Wednesday to continue using facemasks and practice social distancing. Newsom said, “You’re not invincible from COVID-19. Quite the contrary. This is a disease that easily spreads, very easily spreads.”
