US coronavirus cases surpass 2.5 mln as COVID-19 infections surge: John Hopkins

The United States on Saturday surpassed 2.5 million coronavirus cases, a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University showed, as the world’s hardest-hit country grappled with a surge of infections in several states.

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There were 2,500,419 confirmed cases in the US, according to the Baltimore-based university as of 5:30 pm (2130 GMT).

The country also recorded 43,121 new infections in 24 hours, concluding a week with the most newly reported cases since the start of the pandemic.

With an additional 502 deaths recorded Saturday, the US has now seen 125,480 fatalities related to COVID-19, or approximately one-fourth the world total of over 495,000.

Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Nevada on Saturday reported new records in daily cases.

Florida notched 9,585 cases in 24 hours as infections there spike, after the state’s rapid reopening saw young adults flocking to beaches, boardwalks and bars.

More than half of US states, particularly in the South and West, are seeing increases in COVID-19 cases – a dramatic setback to efforts to reopen and salvage badly battered economies.

Texas and Florida, which both have Republican governors who resisted prolonged lockdowns, have announced new restrictions on bars.

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