The United States set a record on Wednesday for new coronavirus cases for a second consecutive day, reporting more than 144,000 new infections. Wednesday was also the ninth straight day of new cases topping 100,000. The second-highest number, 140,300, was reported Tuesday. Since the start of the pandemic, the US has recorded 10.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 241,800 virus-related deaths, far more than any other country, according to the Baltimore-based university. The nation is in the grips of a third wave of the pandemic, with caseloads on the rise again since September. Hospitalizations and deaths are increasing, with nearly 2,000 fatalities reported on Wednesday, the most since May, according to the university's tracker. New daily coronavirus cases have topped 100,000 for over a week. The surge is widespread across the US, with Illinois and North Carolina among the states recording all-time highs. Health experts are worried that with colder weather and people spending more time indoors, the virus will spread more rapidly, and local authorities are cracking down with new mitigation efforts. As the virus continues running unabated across American communities, not a single state is trending in the right direction. And 44 states have reported at least 10 percent more new cases than the previous week — 11 of which reported at least a 50 percent increase. This week, Texas became the first US state to surpass one million known Covid-19 cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins. In El Paso, one of the hardest-hit communities in the country, officials have requested four more trailers to add to six mobile morgues already on the ground, as cases and hospitalizations spike. As case numbers explode, states are putting more measures in place to stem the spread. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine said at a statewide address Wednesday that he will issue a new order that will "place significant new restrictions" on social gatherings such as weddings and funerals. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that indoor and outdoor gatherings in private homes will be limited to 10 people. — Agencies
