The U.S. set a record Thursday as the number of new coronavirus cases rose to over 77,000, topping the previous record in July.
Nationwide, 77,640 new cases were reported for the day, up from the previous record of 75,723 on July 29, according to the latest tally compiled by NBC News.
The record-breaking daily tally comes as the total number of coronavirus cases in the country has reached nearly 8.5 million, with 224,280 deaths. There were 921 coronavirus-related deaths reported on Thursday.
Public health officials warned this week that the number of cases is rising across most of the country.
Dr. Jay Butler, deputy director for infectious diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Wednesday afternoon that the agency has noted a “distressing trend” in which coronavirus case numbers are “increasing in nearly 75 percent of the country.”
Much of the increase is centered in the Midwest. States like Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin have recorded rises in case numbers in the last two weeks. Public health officials attribute the spikes, in part, to cooler weather that is forcing people indoors.
“Smaller, more intimate gatherings with family, friends and neighbors may be driving infections,” Butler said, while also acknowledging pandemic fatigue among the public.
“We get tired of wearing masks, but it continues to be as important as it’s ever been,” he said.
This is a developing story. Please check for updates.