US records over 25,000 Covid-19 deaths in July

CORONAVIRUS | US coronavirus deaths rose by over 25,000 in July and cases doubled in 19 states during the month, according to a Reuters tally, dealing a crushing blow to hopes of quickly reopening the economy.

The US recorded 1.87 million new cases in July, bringing total infections to 4.5 million, for an increase of 69 percent. Deaths in July rose 20 percent to nearly 154,000 total.

The biggest increases in July were in Florida, with over 310,000 new cases, followed by California and Texas with about 260,000 each. All three states saw cases double in June.

Cases also more than doubled in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia, according to the tally.

Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York had the lowest increases, with cases rising 8 percent or less.

The US shattered single-day global records when it reported over 77,000 new cases on July 16. During July, 33 out of the 50 US states had one-day record increases in cases and 19 set records for their rise in deaths in 24 hours, according to a Reuters tally.

After a rapid acceleration in cases, the outbreak appears to be stabilising in Arizona, Florida and Texas. Health officials are now concerned the outbreak has migrated to the Midwest from summer travel.

The news that more states could be hard hit by the virus comes a day after the US reported that gross domestic product collapsed at a 32.9 percent annualised rate in the second quarter, the nation's worst economic performance since the Great Depression.

- Reuters 

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