'Way beyond worst spike': US records new virus peak as Florida, Texas report huge surge

As the number of coronavirus infections rose to over 53,000 on Thursday in the United States, Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said that it "is way beyond the worst spikes that we have seen."

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The total coronavirus cases in the United States has now reached 2,735,339 with 649 fatalities reported on Thursday. The total death toll in the United States has now reached over 130,000. Florida is among the southern and western states in the United States which has seen a huge surge with more than 169,000 cases.

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Fauci warned that if the United States does not take control of the situation it risks "an even greater outbreak".

Texas, California, Arizona and Florida have experienced the worst outbreak of the virus in recent weeks. Texas governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order to make it mandatory for residents to wear masks in public places.

Abbott said that hospitalization rates have increased including several tests have shown positive results.

“We have the ability to keep businesses open and move our economy forward so that Texans can continue to earn a paycheck, but it requires each of us to do our part to protect one another - and that means wearing a face-covering in public spaces,” the Texas governor said.

Texas has over 168,000 infection cases with 2,481 fatalities due to the virus even as authorities said that over 12,000 beds were still available. 

Meanwhile, Florida recorded 10,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day on Thursday. According to authorities, Florida reported over infections 95,000 new cases in June even as it closed bars and beaches.

Governor Gavin Newsom said California has witnessed a 56 per cent increase in hospitalizations as the virus continues to run unabated through the area.

The rising coronavirus cases come amid waring by WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who said that COVID-19 cases were growing at the rate of "160,000 on every single day" worldwide.