13 states this week surpassed records set just last week for their highest number of coronavirus infections in a single day, according to the COVID Tracking Project and state health department data. 16 states in total reported new highs.
The big picture: The United States' alarming rise in coronavirus cases isn't just due to increased testing — particularly where the number of cases has grown fastest over the last month, Axios' Andrew Witherspoon and Caitlin Owens report.
- Friday: Alaska (51); Georgia (4,484); Montana (127); Kansas (993), breaking its Monday record; Montana (127), breaking its Thursday record; Wisconsin (889), breaking its Thursday record; and Utah (867), breaking its Wednesday record.
- Thursday: Alabama (2,212), Arkansas (1,540) and Missouri (759).
- Wednesday: California (11,694), breaking its Monday record; Idaho (487); Tennessee (2,472) and West Virginia (246), breaking its Monday record.
- Tuesday: Oklahoma (858) and Texas (10,028).
- Monday: Kentucky (776).
- Sunday: No record highs.
Between the lines: At least 21 states last week broke their single-day coronavirus infection records.
- States wherecases are still risingthis week, but not at record rates: Arizona, Iowa, Ohio, Florida, Mississippi, Oregon and South Carolina.
- State where cases are steady,but not record-breaking: North Carolina.
What they're saying: "Right now, if you look at the number of cases, it's quite disturbing. We're setting records, practically every day, of new cases in the numbers that are reported. That clearly is not the right direction," NIAID director Anthony Fauci told medical journal JAMA on July 3.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include COVID Tracking Project data, in addition to data taken directly from state health departments.
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