US daily coronavirus-case count crosses 50,000
The nation's death toll climbed above 128,000
New coronavirus cases in the U.S. rose above 50,000, a single-day record, as some states and businesses reversed course on reopenings and hospitals were hit by a surge of patients.
The U.S. accounts for about a quarter of more than 10.6 million coronavirus cases worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The nation's death toll climbed above 128,000.
Cases and hospitalizations are rising sharply in a number of areas.
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In Texas, 6,533 Covid-19 patients were in hospitals, according to the state's Department of Health. For most of April and May that number hovered between 1,100 and 1,800. It broke the 2,000 mark on June 8.
Arizona, another hot spot, recorded its highest percentage of occupied ICU beds, at 89%. On Wednesday the state reported nearly 5,000 new cases, for a total of 79,228. More than 10% of its daily tests were positive.
In California, where hospitalizations are up more than 40% from two weeks ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced new restrictions, including the mandatory closure of bars, indoor restaurants, movie theaters, zoos and museums in 19 counties where 70% of the state's population lives.
Lillian Palacios leans her head back as a healthcare professional takes a sample at a United Memorial Medical Center COVID-19 testing site on June 26, 2020 (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
New York City delayed the start of indoor dining, a central part of its reopening plan. While cases and hospitalizations have been falling in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said rising infections in other states, insufficient compliance with mask and social-distancing protocols and a lack of enforcement by local authorities were factors in the decision.
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Some major companies were also re-evaluating their plans.
Apple Inc., which had been reopening many of its 270 stores in the U.S., said it would temporarily close dozens as the pandemic worsened in certain regions. As of Wednesday, Apple said it had closed 16 locations, with 30 more to close by Thursday.
McDonald's Corp. said it would pause the reopening of dine-in service in the U.S. The company said it would be three weeks before any further U.S. restaurants would add dine-in to its drive-through, takeout and delivery operations.
Outside the U.S., several countries reported a rise in new cases.
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India, struggling to contain the virus's spread, reported 19,148 new cases, pushing up the tally of total infections to 604,641, data from the Health Ministry showed. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country would extend through November a program to provide free staple grains and pulses to 800 million people.
South Korea reported 54 new cases, bringing the total there to 12,904. Gwangju, a city about 200 miles south of Seoul, has reported 50 new cases over the past five days, with infections spreading at church gatherings and nursing homes. The city said it would close schools beginning Thursday and ban indoor gatherings of more than 50 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people for at least two weeks.
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Chinese health authorities on Thursday reported just one confirmed case of local coronavirus transmission for the previous day, signaling that a recent wave of infections in Beijing has largely come under control.
Australia's total number of cases topped 8,000, after Victoria state, which this week placed some areas under lockdown, reported 77 new infections over the past 24 hours--nearly all of the 86 new cases reported nationally. The lockdowns in 10 areas of Melbourne affect more than 300,000 people.