Record Numbers as U.S. Tops 3 Million COVID Cases

July 9, 2020 — The U.S. reported 60,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, marking yet another single-day record, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The total tally of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is just under 3 million, including more than 131,000 deaths.

Several states contributed to the high daily total. Texas reported more than 10,000 new cases on Tuesday, which broke its single-day record of 8,260 new cases on July 4, according to CBS News.

Florida reported more than 7,300 new cases, as well as the state’s highest percentage of positive COVID-19 tests, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Florida is also facing a shortage of hospital beds, particularly in the ICU. Out of the state’s 5,300 adult ICU beds, 906 are available as of Wednesday morning, according to state-reported data.

At least 56 ICUs in Florida reached capacity on Tuesday, according to CNN. Another 35 hospitals had ICU bed availability of 10% or less.

Hospitalizations are increasing in more than 20 other states. In Texas, hospitalizations have more than doubled in the last two weeks to more than 9,200 people, which marked another daily record on Tuesday. COVID-19 hospitalization numbers also reached an all-time high in California on Tuesday, CNN reported.

Deaths have begun to rise as well. Florida has reported 3,800 deaths, and Texas has reported 2,700 deaths. Both numbers are greater than the 1,960 hurricane-related deaths in the U.S. during the past 20 years, according to Newsweek.

The numbers also exceed the 2,544 deaths from tropical cyclones in the U.S. during a 50-year period, the news outlet reported.

Now 28 states have an average positive test rate above 5%, which is the recommended threshold for businesses to reopen safely, according to CBS News. Texas has an average of 13.5% positive tests, and Arizona has reported the highest in the country at 25% positivity.

In the southern part of Texas, Brooks County officials announced that people who test positive for COVID-19 and don’t self-quarantine can be arrested, according to ABC affiliate KIII in Corpus Christi. The announcement came after community members reported people who had tested positive were out at grocery stores and businesses.

“If you’re going to go out and endanger other people, and we find out about it, we will prosecute you,” David Garcia, Brooks County attorney, told the news station. “People have not really embraced the dangers of COVID-19. It’s dangerous. It’s killing people, and it’s making people very sick. So either do it because you’re concerned about others or do it because you’re going to be punished if you don’t.”