US records highest single-day spike with 512,000 new Covid cases since the onset of the pandemic

The United States, severely hit by coronavirus, recorded 512,000 cases in the last 24 hours. It was the highest single-day spike since the pandemic began in 2020. Increase in the number of cases in the US has been attributed to the new Omicron variant.

The total cases in the US now stand at 54 million, with 11 million active cases currently as per data released by the Johns Hopkins University. According to the data, nearly 1,762 succumbed to Covid-19 in the past 24 hours and the total death count so far is 842,000 in the country. On the bright side, 41 million individuals have recovered since the onset of the pandemic in the US.

New cases per day have more than doubled over the past two weeks, eclipsing the old mark of 250,000, set in mid-January, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.

California and New York are the worst hit states in USA with more than 86,000 people testing positive for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. In New York, while cases have been on the rise, there has been a steady increase among children with high infection rates and consequent hospitalisation.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky stated on Monday that though US will see a lot of Omicron cases, it will be a mild wave.

USA's highest single-day spike comes one day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned of a tsunami of Covid-19 cases owing to the Omicron, and also other variants mixing together to wreak havoc across the globe.

According to WHO's figures, the number of Covid-19 cases recorded worldwide increased by 11 per cent in the week from December 20-26. Countries all over the world continue to report record number of cases each day, taking the tally higher.

Also Watch: Omicron circulating along with Delta leading to Tsunami of cases: WHO