International

Coronavirus cases globally see largest-ever daily increase

The world saw the largest single-day increase of new coronavirus cases on Thursday, as the number of cases of the disease worldwide surged past 1 million.

According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, there were 80,600 new COVID-19 cases, with 30,100 of those cases coming from the U.S., The Wall Street Journal reports.

The U.S. is the new epicenter of the virus with more than 245,000 confirmed cases of the virus, more than any other country in the world.

Projections for the total death toll and length of the outbreak in the country became worse this week.

The White House’s coronavirus task force signaled 200,000 Americans could die from the disease, even if the government is successful in its response to the virus. As of Friday morning, more than 6,000 Americans had died from COVID-19.

Additionally, President Trump turned to the Defense Production Act to further mobilize manufacturing companies into making badly needed respirators and other crucial medical products, such as personal protective equipment.

In New York, the hardest hit state by the virus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) warned on Thursday that the state would run out of its stockpile of ventilators within the next six days if it didn’t receive further assistance.