US sees over 47,000 new virus cases

Fauci warns that number could soon reach 100,000 without stricter measures

New US Covid-19 cases rose by more than 47,000 according to a Reuters tally, the biggest one-day spike since the start of the pandemic, as the government’s top infectious disease expert warned that the number could soon double.

California, Texas and Arizona have emerged as new US epicentres of the pandemic, reporting record increases in Covid-19 cases.

“Clearly we are not in total control right now,” Dr Anthony Fauci (pic), head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told a US Senate committee on Tuesday.

“I am very concerned because it could get very bad.”

Fauci said the daily increase in new cases could reach 100,000 unless a nationwide push was made to tamp down the resurgent virus.

“We can’t just focus on those areas that are having the surge. It puts the entire country at risk,” he said.

Fauci said there was no guarantee of a vaccine, although early data had been promising: “Hopefully, there will be doses available by the beginning of next year.”

Covid-19 cases more than doubled last month in at least 10 states, including Texas and Florida, a Reuters tally showed.

In parts of Texas and Arizona, hospital intensive care beds for Covid-19 patients were in short supply.

More than 126,000 Americans have died from Covid-19 and millions have lost their jobs as states and major cities ordered residents to stay home and businesses closed.

The economy contracted sharply in the first quarter and is expected to crater in the second.

The fresh rise in cases and hospitalisations has dimmed hopes that the worst of the human and economic pain had passed, prompting renewed criticism of US President Donald Trump as he seeks reelection on Nov 3.

His rival, Democrat Joe Biden, said on Tuesday that Trump’s “historic mismanagement” of the pandemic cost lives and inflicted more damage than necessary to the US economy.

“It didn’t have to be this way. Donald Trump failed us,” the 77-year-old former vice-president said in a speech in Delaware, where he unveiled an updated plan to tackle the pandemic calling for more testing and the hiring of 100,000 contract tracers.

In the past week California, Texas and Florida have moved to close recently reopened bars, which public health officials believed were likely one of the larger contributors to the recent spikes.

On Tuesday, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut added travellers from California and seven other states to those who must selfquarantine for 14 days upon arrival. Texas and Florida were named last week.

South Carolina has also emerged as a hot spot, reporting a record single-day increase of 1,755 cases on Tuesday. — Reuters