US registers 94,000 coronavirus cases in 24 hours; tally passes 9M

The United States hit a record number of new coronavirus cases on Friday for the second day in a row, topping 94,000 infections in 24 hours.

The country, which has seen a resurgence of its Covid-19 outbreak since mid-October, recorded 94,125 new cases in the 24 hours -- breaking the record of more than 91,000 cases set just one day earlier.

Moreover, the US passed 9 million reported coronavirus cases on Friday.

The US, which has seen a resurgence of its Covid-19 outbreak since mid-October, has now notched up 9,007,298 cases. More than 229,000 people have died of the virus in the US since the pandemic began.

With the virus spreading most rampantly in the Midwest and the South, hospitals are also filling up again, stretching the health care system just as the nation heads in to flu season.

Authorities in El Paso, Texas, imposed a curfew this week to protect "overwhelmed" health care workers and began setting up field hospitals. 

Midwestern state Wisconsin has also set up a field hospital in recent weeks, and hospital workers in Missouri were sounding warning bells as cases there rise.

Hospitals in the western state of Utah were preparing to ration care by as early as next week as patients flood their ICUs, according to local media.

The state is so overwhelmed that earlier this month it told residents they have to do their own contact tracing, local media reported.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, who has been campaigning for the November 3 vote, downplayed the virus -- yet again. He repeatedly told supporters that the country is "rounding the curve" on Covid infections.

(with inputs from agencies)