The U.S. set another daily world record for new coronavirus cases Friday with more than 184,000, an increase of about 31,000 from the day before.
The nationwide surge -- now more than 100,000 cases per day since Nov. 3 -- is causing two states to impose near-lockdowns ahead of the holidays when families are expected to gather. Another governor who had long held out from issuing a statewide mask mandate succumbed to pressure from health professionals as cases and deaths skyrocket.
There were 184,514 new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. Friday according to Johns Hopkins University. The Thursday total was 153,394.
The 7-day average ending Friday was 139,960. That's up 35% since the same time a week ago and a 77% increase in two weeks.
The COVID Tracking Project said Thursday 1-in-378 U.S. residents tested positive for the COVID-19 this week alone.
A total of 1,431 people died in the U.S. Friday due to COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins. The 7-day average was 1,047 -- a 26% rise in the past two weeks.
The U.S. leads the world with more than 10.7 million total cases. At its current pace, the U.S. is likely to cross 11 million total cases by Sunday -- an increase of 1 million in six days.
More than 68,500 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 Friday, a new record, and the COVID Tracking Project says more than 13,000 of them were in intensive care.
The governors of Oregon and New Mexico ordered near-lockdowns Friday in the most aggressive response yet to the latest wave of infections, even as many of their counterparts in other states show little appetite for reimposing the hard-line restrictions of last spring.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown ordered a two-week “freeze” starting Wednesday, under which all businesses will be required to close their offices to the public and mandate work-from-home “to the greatest extent possible.”
While most Oregon stores will remain open, gyms, museums, pools, movie theaters and zoos will be forced to close, and restaurants and bars will be limited to takeout. Social gatherings will be restricted to six people.
Still, there is little will among many governors and other elected officials for going back to the kind of lockdowns and large-scale business closings seen last spring.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum ordered a statewide mask mandate late Friday following pressure from doctors, nurses and other health care professionals, ending a long holdout against the practice.
Some governors continue to resist issuing statewide mask rules. Among the reasons given: public fatigue, fear of doing more damage to already-crippled businesses, lack of support from Washington, and the way efforts to tame the virus have become fiercely politicized.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
