Three Americans died of COVID-19 every minute on Tuesday, when a record 4,327 deaths were confirmed and 215,805 new cases were reported, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Since the first case of the deadly virus was first registered in the United States on January 21, 2020, the country has reported 22,849,333 cases and 380,821 deaths, according to the latest figures, which show that cases continue to increase.
The only other time the death toll surpassed 4,000 was on January 7, when 4,194 were reported, according to Johns Hopkins, whose data showed that the U.S. had an average of more than 3,223 deaths a day last week.
On Tuesday, federal authorities agreed to send additional doses of vaccines requested by several governors to the states, while the United States tries to accelerate the pace of vaccines with the daily death toll at 3,200, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, hospitalizations and case numbers also remain dangerously high, with 131,000 patients being treated in the United States, according to the Daily Mail.
The situation is particularly bleak in Los Angeles, where health officials are asking people to wear masks inside their own homes to prevent the deadly virus from spreading among family members.
Authorities say the increase in the case rate in LA is likely due to family reunions that took place during Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to the vehicle.
“One of the most moving conversations that our healthcare professionals share is about those last words, when children apologize to their parents and grandparents for bringing COVID into their homes for making them sick,” said county supervisor Hilda Solis to the LA Times.
“Please, for your loved ones, stay home. Stay safe. Keep your loved ones alive, ”she said.