US surpasses three million coronavirus cases

2020-07-08 22:47:25

More than three million people in the US have tested positive for Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. Over 131,000 deaths have been reported, and on Tuesday the US broke its record for most new cases reported in one day. Despite the rise, the White House wants to press forward on some reopenings, including for schools. US Vice-President Mike Pence, who leads the White House Coronavirus Taskforce, argued rules should not be "too tough". Cases were flattening out, he said, while President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that America was "in a good place" regarding the pandemic. Over 60,000 new cases were reported Tuesday, shattering the previous highest tally of 55,220 new cases on 2 July. The latest figures come as the states of California and Texas each reported more than 10,000 new daily cases. Dr Anthony Fauci, infectious disease expert and adviser to the White House on the coronavirus, said the country was still "knee-deep" in only its first coronavirus wave.