The US set another one-day record with more than 77,000 coronavirus cases reported on Friday, prompting some hard-hit states to impose new lockdown measures, including the shuttering of most California schools.
The 77,233 infections recorded by the Covid Tracking Project were accompanied by another grim tally of 951 fatalities, the second day in a row of more than 950 deaths nationwide.
Texas set a record with 174 coronavirus-related deaths over the previous 24 hours; California and Florida each reported 130 fatalities, near recent highs.