Coronavirus updates: US sets new COVID-19 cases record for third straight day

The United States has set a third straight daily record for new COVID-19 infections, notching more than 127,000 cases, John Hopkins University reported Friday.

Meanwhile, the death toll as of 8.30pm (5.30am UAE) over the past 24 hours was 1,149, the Baltimore-based university said.

This is far below the levels of spring when the pandemic first hit, but it is still the fourth day in a row with more than 1,000 deaths — a rate not seen since August.

As of Friday evening, the US — the worst hit country in the world in terms of deaths and total cases — had more than 236,000 coronavirus-related fatalities and 9.7 million known infections.