This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, the United States has reported a record number of new cases, with 55,274 cases confirmed on Thursday.
This marks a new daily global record for the coronavirus pandemic, surpassing the previous single-day record of 54,771 set by Brazil on June 19.
According to a Reuters analysis, new infections were rising in 37 out of 50 U.S. states in the past 14 days compared with the two weeks prior.
The surge in cases has led several governors to halt or back-pedal on plans to reopen their states after months of strict lockdowns.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said, "We are not out of this crisis. We are still in the first wave of this crisis. It requires some level of personal responsibility."
Earlier on Thursday, Kansas required face coverings after a 46% spike in infections there last week.
U.S. President Donald Trump, however, claimed that the economy was "roaring back," despite the latest batch of high-frequency data suggesting economic activity stalled in recent days.
Trump's expected rival for the presidency, Joe Biden, slammed him, saying, "Quit claiming victory with almost 15 million Americans still out of work because of the crisis. Quit ignoring the reality of this pandemic and the horrifying loss of American life."
