David Matthews New York Daily News
The United States surpassed 24 million COVID-19 cases Monday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
At least 398,307 people have died from related complications since the pandemic began, as well.
On Sunday, incoming U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention head Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the U.S. would likely pass 500,000 deaths by mid-February. The seven-day average for new deaths surged past 3,300, according to The COVID Tracking Project.
The county has doubled its number of cases in the last 59 days after needing 304 days to originally reach 12 million total.
The new surge in infections comes as a new, more contagious variant is spreading across the country. Several other vaccine candidates are expected to be approved in coming weeks as well, giving hopes to improved numbers during the country’s slow rollout of immunizations.
