Seven-day daily COVID-19 average in US surpassed peak set last summer: CDC

As the US witnesses a surge in coronavirus cases, CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky said the seven-day average of daily coronavirus cases in the country surpassed the peak set last summer.

"COVID-19 is clearly not done with us and so, our battle must last a little longer,” Walensky said.

The United States has inoculated at least 70 per cent adults with one dose of the vaccine with the highly transferable Delta variant being the dominant strain responsible for the largest number of cases in the US.

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The US reached 6,200 hospitalisations per day which is 41 per cent from the previous seven-day period. The seven-day daily COVID-19 average reached 72,790 on Friday, according to the CDC which was more than 68,700 new cases per day recorded last summer.

Amid the surge, San Francisco announced that wearing masks indoors has been reinstated as COVID-19 infections surge with the Delta variant accounting for 95 per cent of new coronavirus cases.

The mask mandate is already in effect in  Sacramento, Yolo and Los Angeles counties.  Louisiana which reportedly has the lowest vaccination rate in the country also implemented the mask rule.

As the COVID-19 infection rate continues to rise in the US health officials have been urging more Americans to get vaccinated to combat the Delta variant.

The average daily COVID-19 cases over the weekend was 68,326 and 63,250 respectively as cases have continued to rise across the country.

Top US scientist Anthony Fauci had warned earlier that although there won't be a lockdown in the country due to high vaccination numbers but added that there will be "some pain and suffering in the future".

CDC last week had told Americans to wear masks indoors in high-risk areas even if they were vaccinated.

The United States is the worst-hit country due to the virus with over 35 million coronavirus cases and more than 613,670 fatalities.

(With inputs from Agencies)