United States Covid-19 deaths rise by 1,200 for first time since May

US deaths from the novel coronavirus rose by more than 1,200 on Tuesday, the biggest one-day increase since May, according to a Reuters tally.

California and Florida, two of the most populous states, reported a one-day record spike in deaths on Tuesday, together accounting for 362 of the 1,227 new deaths. Arkansas, Montana and Oregon also had one-day record increases in Covid-19 fatalities.

Tuesday's surge in deaths comes on top of US deaths rising on a weekly basis for three weeks in a row. Last week, fatalities increased by over 1,000 for four days in a row.

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A spike in infections in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas this month has overwhelmed hospitals. The rise has forced states to make a U-turn on reopening economies that were restricted by lockdowns in March and April to slow the spread of the virus.

The United States has lost nearly 1,50,000 people in total since the virus was first detected in the country in January, the highest number in the world.

Of the 20 countries with the biggest outbreak, the United States ranks sixth for deaths per capita, at 4.5 fatalities per 10,000 people. It is exceeded by the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Peru and Chile.