Nearly 100,000 new coronavirus cases were recorded in the United States in the 24 hours to 8:30pm EDT Wednesday, a new daily record, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
The country reported 99,660 new infections between 8:30 pm Tuesday and 8:30 pm Wednesday, and 1,112 deaths, the tally showed one day after Americans voted to choose their next president.
More than 9.4 million people have been infected and 233,000 have died in the United States so far during the pandemic, by far the worst tolls in absolute terms globally.
Cases have been surging to record highs across the country since mid-October, especially in the north and the midwest.
Health officials in some states have already sounded warnings about their ability to handle an influx in hospitalisations as the winter flu season looms.
The pandemic has also slammed the US economy, fueling a historic contraction in growth and tens of millions of job losses.
It also impacted the US election, with more than 100 million voters casting their ballot by mail or in person before Election Day on Tuesday - the highest number of early voters ever.
The final election results are not yet known, with the count partly delayed by the high number of mail-in ballots as many Americans sought to avoid crowded polling booths.
US President Donald Trump - who was briefly hospitalised for COVID-19 in October - has consistently downplayed the seriousness of the outbreak, insisting that the virus will eventually just "disappear."
His Democratic election rival Joe Biden has sought to turn the vote into a referendum on Mr Trump's handling of the crisis, and vowed to listen to scientific recommendations on handling the pandemic should he take the White House.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction's restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
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