- The total US infection count surged past 3.5million after spike of 77,255 cases
- Death toll up to 138,358 with experts predicting further surge amid rising cases
- Florida saw a record 156 new deaths while Texas beat its previous high with 129
By Tim Stickings For Mailonline, Published: 17 July 2020
The US has shattered its daily record for coronavirus cases after more than 77,000 new infections were reported on Thursday.
America’s total infection count surged past 3.5million after the massive new spike of 77,255 cases, surpassing the previous high of 67,417 patients registered on Tuesday.
It takes the US another step closer to the alarming benchmark of 100,000 cases per day which Dr Anthony Fauci has warned that the US could reach if it fails to bring the crisis under control.
Another 943 deaths on Thursday brought the death toll to 138,358, with experts predicting a further surge after a rise in hospitalizations in many states.
Florida and Texas both suffered record death tolls yesterday with 156 and 129 respectively while posting more than 10,000 new infections each. 
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US CASES: America shattered its daily record for coronavirus cases after an alarming 77,255 new infections were reported on Thursday
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US DEATHS: The death toll rose by 943 on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University figures, taking the country’s tally from 137,415 to 138,358
The US totals of 3,576,157 cases and 138,358 deaths are both by far the highest in the world, with Brazil second in both tables. India today became the third country to reach a million confirmed infections.
Florida is becoming the new epicenter of the US outbreak, with a record 156 deaths announced yesterday alongside 13,965 new positive test results.
The state’s health department said 315,775 people had tested positive in Florida since the pandemic began with a death toll of 4,677.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis moved quickly to re-open the state and has not followed the lead of California and Texas by making masks mandatory in indoor spaces.
In late June, in a partial reversal, DeSantis ordered bars to again be closed in an effort to curb the spread of the disease, but the numbers have continued to rise.
In an unusually direct piece of criticism, Fauci said last week that Florida had moved out of its lockdown before public health indicators justified such a move.
Texas saw 10,291 new cases on Thursday, a slight drop from Wednesday’s record of 10,791 but the third consecutive day that the figure has been above 10,000.
The state also saw a new high of 129 deaths in a day, breaking the record for the second day running after Wednesday’s previous peak of 110.
It brings the total in the state to 292,656 cases and 3,561 deaths, with more than 130,000 of those cases estimated to be currently ‘active’.
The hardest-hit areas in Texas and Arizona are running out of places to store bodies as their morgues fill up and are bringing in coolers and refrigerated trailers.
TEXAS CASES: Texas saw 10,291 new cases on Thursday, a slight drop from Wednesday’s record of 10,791 but the third consecutive day that the figure has been above 10,000
TEXAS DEATHS: The state also saw a new high of 129 deaths in a day, breaking the record for the second day running after Wednesday’s previous peak of 110
California saw 8,544 new cases yesterday to bring the total to 356,178, while another 118 fatalities took the death toll in America’s most populous state to 7,345.
Los Angeles County accounts for more than 140,000 of California’s cases, with 2,711 recorded there yesterday, while LA has also seen 3,932 deaths.
The state saw its deadliest day on July 8, when 149 new fatalities were recorded, while the infection record was set the previous day with 11,694.
In New York, which suffered the brunt of the first wave of cases in the spring, experts warn that a second spike is likely because of the rampant infections elsewhere.
New York City reported only 82 new cases and four deaths on Tuesday, with fewer than 50 people being admitted to hospital every day.
However, mayor Bill de Blasio said the city would build its own reserve of ventilators, protective equipment and coronavirus test kits to prepare for a second wave.
‘We’ve learned a tough lesson that we have to create, and we have to protect ourselves,’ said de Blasio, a Democrat.
New York state’s Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo has urged New Yorkers not to let up on wearing masks and social distancing.
Cuomo has offered advice, ventilators, masks, gowns and medicine to states dealing with spikes in cases and hospitalizations.
Some healthcare workers are heading to other states to help fight the virus, reciprocating the influx that gave New York hospitals some much-needed relief just months ago. 
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FLORIDA CASES: Florida announced 13,965 new coronavirus cases in its latest update yesterday, with the outbreak growing faster there than in any other state 
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CALIFORNIA CASES: California saw 8,544 new cases yesterday to bring the total to 356,178, while another 118 fatalities took the death toll in America’s most populous state to 7,345
CDC figures show that more than 100,000 healthcare personnel have been infected with the virus and at least 538 have died.
The death toll in the healthcare profession could be higher because figures are only available for 67,000 of those infected.
America’s total death toll could hit 151,000 by August 1 and 157,000 by August 8, according to an average of models of 23 research groups in the United States and elsewhere.
The figures were published by the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Reich lab on Tuesday on behalf of the CDC.
A week ago, this average predicted 147,000 deaths on August 1, suggesting that the picture is worsening.
California, Florida and Texas are expected to see a thousand more deaths over the next four weeks compared to the previous four, said Professor Nicholas Reich.
The University of Washington’s IHME model goes further and predicted a staggering total of 224,000 deaths by November 1.
Another, by independent modeler Youyang Gu in New York, predicts 227,000 deaths by November 1, days before the presidential election. 
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The latest spike takes the US another step closer to the alarming benchmark of 100,000 cases per day which Dr Anthony Fauci (pictured) has warned that the US could reach if it fails to bring the crisis under control
Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that the infection tally is only so high because of widespread testing, but Fauci has said that ‘I don’t think you can say we’re doing great’.
The CDC says more than 46.5million tests have been carried out in total, including people who were tested more than once.
The agency this week urged people to continue wearing masks to stop the spread of the disease, citing studies which showed they are a ‘critical tool’ in the pandemic.
‘We are not defenseless against Covid -19,’ said CDC director Robert Redfield in an announcement on Tuesday.
‘Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting.
‘All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.’
According to the IHME group, more Americans are wearing masks, and fewer are leaving their homes.
The model has access to GPS data through commercial partners.
‘If 95 percent of Americans wore masks when leaving their homes, that number (of deaths) would drop by more than 40,000,’ the research center said.
