Thursday marked a new record for coronavirus deaths in the U.S., with 4,591 people dying from the virus in just 24 hours for a tragic total of 34,000.
It comes at a time when protests are building about social restrictions and President Trump’s wish to reopen the nation for business.
The prior record was 2,569 deaths in the U.S. on Wednesday, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University.
The number of new coronavirus cases on Thursday was approximately the same as Wednesday, with 32,451 new confirmed infections across the country, according to the outlet.
There have been more than 671,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. since the outbreak began in China late last year. There have been more than 34,000 deaths. Around the world, there have been more than 2.15 million cases.
The spike came on the same day that President Trump unveiled guidance for a phased reopening of parts of the U.S. economy that largely leaves final decisions to governors across the country.
The guidance recommends that states see a downward trajectory in the number of confirmed cases and flu-like symptoms before moving to lift the stay-at-home orders and other restrictions in states nationwide intended to stem the spread of the virus.
Multiple regional coalitions formed this week as state officials confer with one another on the best course for lifting advisories, including in the Northeast, along the West Coast and in a group of seven Midwestern states.
