US records over 1,000 daily coronavirus deaths for first time in July

The U.S. on Tuesday reported more than 1,000 new daily deaths from COVID-19 for the first time in July as the virus continues to surge across the country.

While not close to the high of 2,752 set on April 15 during the peak of the pandemic in New York state and the Northeast, the 1,029 deaths reported on Tuesday underscores the challenge the pandemic still presents for states.

Nevada, Oregon and Tennessee all reported a new record for single-day deaths, according to The New York Times database. The spike of the virus around the country has caused the seven-day average of daily new deaths to rise from 475 in early July to 786 on Monday.

Other than two times in late June when New York state and New Jersey reported a large number of deaths from unknown dates, Tuesday marked the first time that the U.S. had surpassed 1,000 deaths in a day since June 9, according to data from the Times.

Also on Tuesday, nearly 60,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported, below the seven-day average of 66,432. The record for new daily cases was set last Thursday, when over 75,000 new cases were documented.

President Trump warned Tuesday amid surges in cases in parts of the country that the outbreak in the U.S. would “get worse before it gets better.”

“It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better,” Trump told reporters while reading from prepared remarks at the White House in his first coronavirus-focused briefing in nearly three months.

“Something I don’t like saying about things, but that’s the way it is.”

The president urged Americans to wear face masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands while also urging young people to avoid bars to help stem the spread of the disease.