The United States surpasses 2 million coronavirus cases.
The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in the US has surpassed 112.000, also the highest rate in the world.
(Reuters)- The total number of coronavirus cases in the United States surpassed 2 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as health officials urged people participating in racial justice protests to get tested.
Nationally, there is a slight increase in new infections after five weeks of decline, according to a Reuters analysis. Part of the increase is due to more testing, which hit a record on June 5 with 545.690 tests in a single day, but has since fallen, according to the Covid-Tracking Project.
Recent increases in cases are likely a result of more people moving around and resuming some business and leisure activities as all 50 states gradually reopen. Large nationwide protests, without social distancing, following the death of George Floyd on May 25 at the hands of Minneapolis police, could lead to another surge in cases in the coming weeks.
Health authorities believe the first coronavirus cases in the U.S. appeared in January, and the country recorded 1 million cases by April 28. So far in June, there is an average of 21.000 new cases per day, compared to an average of 30.000 per day in April and 23.000 per day in May, according to a Reuters tally.
The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in the US has surpassed 112.000, also the highest rate in the world.
On May 12, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised governments that, before reopening, the rate of people testing positive for the coronavirus should remain at 5% or less for at least 14 days.
Positive test result rates in the US have fluctuated between 4% and 7% nationally and have not met these guidelines, although several states have achieved this individually.