U.S. sets record for new coronavirus cases, surpassing 55,000

The United States reported 55,220 new coronavirus cases in early July, the largest single-day total since the start of the pandemic, according to data collected by The Washington Post.

Florida on July 2 reported 10,109 new cases of the coronavirus, marking a new single-day record for the state, which reported 6,563 cases on July 1. There were 68 deaths, for a total of 3,718. It’s the 25th consecutive day that Florida has set a record high in its seven-day rolling average. Georgia, one of the first states to loosen restrictions, joined Florida and several other states in setting single-day records of new cases. Georgia reported 3,472, up from 2,976 on July 1.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) issued a statewide mandate requiring Texans to wear masks in public in any county with 20 or more positive covid-19 cases — a dramatic move that comes as cases in the state continue to climb. On July 2, Texas reported 7,915 new cases of the coronavirus.

Here are some significant developments:

The mayor of Miami-Dade County announced a 10 p.m.-to-sunrise curfew starting July 3 and continuing until further notice. Around 2,300 of Florida’s 10,109 new infections on Thursday were reported in Miami-Dade.

During an event in Florida, Vice President Pence sought to distinguish the surge of coronavirus cases across the Sun Belt from the larger pandemic that shut down the country. “It’s not one large pandemic, but rather pandemics that emerge individually,” Pence said.

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has been hospitalized after testing positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement posted to his Twitter account Thursday. The announcement comes almost two weeks after Cain joined thousands of people at President Trump’s Tulsa campaign rally.

Anthony S. Fauci, the country’s top infectious-disease expert, attributed rising case numbers in the United States at least partially to the fact lockdown measures were more lenient than those in some European countries that have since managed to turn the tide on the virus.

The United States is on track to have a vaccine against the coronavirus by the end of this year or early 2021, according to Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn. The FDA has given authorization to proceed with clinical trials for four vaccines, Hahn said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”