U.S. records over 7 million COVID-19 cases

U.S. records over 7 million COVID-19 cases

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States topped 7 million - more than 20% of the world's total - as Midwest states reported spikes in COVID-19 infections in September, according to a Reuters tally.

Freddie Joyner has more.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States topped 7 million Thursday, as states in the Midwest are seeing a spike in new infections.

All Midwest states except Ohio reported more cases in the past four weeks as compared with the prior four.

South Dakota had the biggest percentage jump at 166% with over 8,100 new cases, while North Dakota’s new cases doubled to over 8,700.

Many cases in those two states have been linked to the annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, that yearly attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors.

California leads the country with over 800,000 total cases, followed by Texas, Florida and New York.

U.S. confirmed cases are the highest in the world followed by India and Brazil.

Months into the pandemic, over 700 people die in the United States from COVID-19 everyday, with the country averaging 40,000 daily new infections.

Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has said he would like to see that number fall below 10,000 per day before flu season starts in October.

Health officials and President Donald Trump have presented different views about the nation's health crisis.

Trump, who is seeking re-election, claimed earlier this month that the United States was “rounding the corner” on the crisis.

Fauci contradicted the claim the next day, saying the statistics were disturbing.

The latest milestone comes just days after the nation surpassed over 200,000 COVID-19 deaths, the world's highest death toll from the virus.