US records highest single-day death toll from coronavirus since May

The rise in deaths on Wednesday represented a 57 per cent increase in the 14-day average

States across the nation have reported a record number of coronavirus cases, hospitalisations, and deaths in recent weeks due to the current surge.

On Wednesday, the US recorded 2,313 coronavirus deaths, according to The New York Times daily tracker. This was the highest single-day death toll recorded by the country since May, proving just how deadly the current surge has become.

The rise in deaths on Wednesday represented a 57 per cent increase in the 14-day average, the newspaper reported.

Coronavirus cases have rapidly increased in the vast majority of states due to declining temperatures and people moving gatherings indoors.

Public health and government officials implored Americans to cancel their Thanksgiving plans in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even updated its recommendation to say that people should only celebrate Thanksgiving within their immediate household, as officials warned the holiday season could become “the mother of all super-spreader events”.

But whether residents complied with the recommendations to stop the surge won’t be known for a few weeks.

Besides the US showing a record number of Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday, the country also surpassed its number of new coronavirus cases in a single day. More than 185,000 new coronavirus cases were recorded on Wednesday, according to The New York Times, which was far greater than the previous record in July during the first surge.

An increase in testing has contributed, in part, to more cases being recorded. But the increased cases are also due to the virus running rampant throughout the country.

The CDC now estimates the US could reach 321,000 deaths from the novel virus by mid-December.

According to the agency’s “Covid-19 Forecasts: Deaths,” updated earlier this week, models anticipated that newly reported deaths would increase over the next four weeks. The model predicted 294,000 and 321,000 total coronavirus deaths will be reported on 19 December given the current surge.

The US has thus far recorded more than 263,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University, far greater than any other country in the world.

Brazil, which has recorded more than 170,000 coronavirus deaths, comes in second for the most residents dead from the virus.

Recent coronavirus vaccine news has encouraged health professionals that the virus could be treated in the coming months. But the vast majority of residents in the US won’t have access to the vaccine until spring 2021 at the earliest.

Until then, officials are pleading with Americans to wear masks, avoid gatherings, and follow social distancing guidelines.