U.S. reportedly sets new record with over 77,000 COVID-19 cases in 1 day

Healthcare professionals prepare to screen people for the coronavirus at a testing site erected by the Maryland National Guard in a parking lot at FedEx Field March 30, 2020 in Landover, Mary
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The United States has reportedly set a new record for most cases of COVID-19 confirmed in a single day.

The country on Thursday reported 77,640 new coronavirus cases, according to a count from NBC News. This is the highest single-day total of coronavirus cases during the pandemic so far, surpassing the previous record from July.

The number of daily cases in the U.S. has been rising in recent weeks and on July 16 went beyond 70,000 for the first time since July. On Thursday, eight states broke their single-day records, and "13 states have added more cases in the past week than in any other seven-day stretch," The New York Times reports.

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As daily cases rise, according to CNN, "there is nearly no place in America where COVID-19 case counts are trending in the right direction." Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this week warned of a "distressing trend" in the U.S, with cases "increasing in nearly 75 percent of the country." The CDC is also warning that "smaller, more intimate" gatherings may be driving transmission.

"Unfortunately, we are seeing a distressing trend here in the United States," CDC deputy director for infectious diseases Jay Butler said, per CNBC. "...I recognize that we are all getting tired of the impact COVID-19 has had on our lives. We're tired of wearing masks, but it continues to be as important as it has ever been and I would say even more important than ever as we move into the fall season."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.