US expert warns infections could soar to 100,000 a day as fresh cases spike again

AMERICA’S coronavirus caseload has increased by more than 47,000 — the biggest one-day spike since the start of the pandemic.

The total number of confirmed infections in the world’s worst-hit nation now stands at more than 2.7 million, including 130,000 deaths.

Cases more than doubled in June in at least 10 states, including Texas and Florida, according to analysis by Reuters.

The US’s leading infectious disease expert said the number of daily reported cases could soon reach 100,000 without a nationwide push to tackle the resurgent virus.

“Clearly we are not in total control right now,” Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told the Senate. “I am very concerned because it could get very bad.”

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

The European Union has excluded Americans from its “safe list” of countries from which the bloc is from today allowing non-essential travel.

Meanwhile, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut yesterday added travellers from California and seven other states to those who must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

The fresh rise in cases has prompted renewed criticism of President Donald Trump as he seeks re-election in November.

His Democratic rival, Joe Biden, last night said Mr Trump’s “historic mismanagement” of the pandemic had 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.