#North Carolina breaks record for new coronavirus cases in a single day

Enlarge Image

Parkland Hospital employees, sitting behind a window, collect a self-administered test sample from a man at a COVID-19 walk-up testing site in Dallas.
AP

North Carolina on Friday reported the largest single-day spike in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, while the city of Dallas was also hit by a record number of infections, according to reports.

New cases in the Tar Heel State rose to 41,249 Friday, up 1,768 from Thursday’s total — the largest daily increase since testing began in March, according to the Raleigh News & Observer.

In Dallas, health officials tallied a record-high 312 new infections during the same single-day period, prompting elected officials to urge residents to maintain social distancing amid reopenings.

“It’s more important than ever that you avoid large crowds, maintain six-foot distancing, wear a cloth face covering when on public transportation, around people in businesses or at other gatherings, and use good hygiene,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said, according to local station WFAA.

The spike comes one day after Florida broke its record for the highest number of coronavirus cases reported in a single day since the pandemic began.

Meanwhile, India’s daily coronavirus count rose to more than 10,000 for the first time ever Friday as the country’s death toll increased by 396, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In total, India has reported 297,535 cases, the fourth-highest in the world behind the US, Brazil and Russia, according to the paper.

Overall, the US has reported more than 2 million infections and more than 114,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.