The U.S. set another grim record Wednesday, as the coronavirus death toll surpassed 3,000 in a single day for the first time.
At least 3,011 Americans died Wednesday, according to the New York Times, the most yet in any single day of the pandemic. Over the past seven days, an average of 2,249 Americans have died from COVID-19 each day, the Times reported.
By comparison, 2,977 people died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The previous worst day for coronavirus deaths was 2,885, set last week.
The U.S. also reached a record high Wednesday with more than 106,000 people hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the Covid Tracking Project.
Also read: As some hospitals near 90% capacity due to COVID-19, this map can tell you if your local hospital is almost full
Health officials warn the toll is likely to get much worse in the coming weeks. Still, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, as the U.S. is getting closer to its first vaccinations. An FDA advisory committee is scheduled to review the vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc.
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and BioNTech
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on Thursday. If they approve it, as expected, the first vaccines could be administered within days.
So far, the U.S. has logged nearly 15.4 million coronavirus cases, with more than 289,000 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Both figures are, by far, the most in the world.
