The United States for the first time on Wednesday surpassed 100,000 new coronavirus daily cases, the Washington Post reported citing its own data.
"The United States reported more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases," the newspaper said. Seventeen states including Kansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Oklahoma, Montana, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana and West Virginia - on Wednesday reported record numbers of patients hospitalised with COVID-19.
The United States set another record for daily confirmed coronavirus cases as states around the country posted all-time highs, underscoring the vexing issue that confronts the winner of the presidential race.
The surging cases and hospitalisations reflect the challenge that either President Donald Trump or former Vice President Joe Biden will face in the coming months over the pandemic, with winter and the holidays approaching.
Public health experts fear potentially dire consequences, at least in the short term.
Trump's current term does not end until January 20. In the 86 days until then, 100,000 more Americans will likely die from the virus if the nation does not shift course, said Dr Robert Murphy, executive director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, echoing estimates from other public health experts.
