US Shatters Its Average Daily Covid-19 Case Record Again. 647,067 New Cases In 24 Hours And 2.5 Million In A Week

The US broke a world record for average daily COVID cases for the second day in a row with 647,067 reported on Thursday, according to a DailyMail.com analysis of John Hopkins data  

Daily Mail: US smashes global COVID infection record for a second day with 647,067 new cases in 24 hours and 2.5m in a week after experts warned 'we are at the very beginning' of a viral blizzard that will cause de facto shut-down: Deaths halve to 1,400 

* The US smashed yet another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported - up 26 percent from the day before, when 512,533 new cases were reported 

* In total, the United States saw 2.49 million new cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9 

* At the same time, though, the number of daily deaths have halved from 2,800 to 1,400 between Wednesday and Thursday, sparking hopes Omicron won't be as deadly as the Delta variant 

* Flights are still being canceled during the busy holiday season with almost every major airline facing shortages as staff test positive for COVID, with 1,198 flights axed on New Year's Eve alone 

* Americans are still waiting hours in lines to be tested for COVID-19 as the Omicron variant sweeps the nation 

The U.S. smashed another global COVID infection record on Thursday when 647,067 new cases were reported, with deaths halving to 1,400, as one expert warned of a 'virtual blizzard' of Omicron he says will lead to shutdowns nationwide. 

In total, USA Today reports, the United States recorded 2.49 million cases within the past week, outpacing the country's previous record of 1.7 million new cases recorded in the one-week period from January 3 through January 9. 

Meanwhile, on Friday morning, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that 76,500 people had tested positive for COVID across the Empire State Thursday. 

That is a new record, up from the 67,000 case record set 24 hours earlier, with Hochul adding that 3,925 New Yorkers are in hospital, and that 80 died of the virus yesterday.  

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More U.S. Covid-19 News  

Omicron dashboard -- Axios

US surpasses 2M cases in one week for first time during pandemic; South Africa study finds omicron less severe: Latest COVID-19 updates -- USA Today 

Covid-19 and Omicron News on New Year's Eve: Live Updates -- New York Times  

US shatters its average daily Covid-19 case record again. Experts describe coming weeks as a 'tidal wave' and 'blizzard' -- CNN  

US surpasses 2 million COVID-19 cases in a week, breaking record -- NYPost 

Just ‘a whiff of infected breath’ is all is takes to catch Omicron, expert warns – but it’s a milder illness -- The SUN  

‘Crazy’ omicron surge could peak soon, but the virus is unpredictable as the pandemic enters its third year -- Washington Post