The US recorded the most coronavirus deaths in a single day with more than 1,800 fatalities reported on Tuesday.
It brings the total number of deaths in the country to nearly 13,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The US has more than 398,000 confirmed cases, the highest number in the world. Global cases have exceeded 1.4 million.
However during a press conference President Donald Trump said the US might be getting to the top of the “curve”.
Meanwhile the city of Wuhan in China, where the infection first emerged, ended its 11-week lockdown.
The new figures announced on Tuesday are up on the previous record of 1,344 which was recorded on 4 April.
The family of American singer-songwriter John Prine has confirmed his death from complications related to coronavirus.
Known for songs such as Angel from Montgomery and Sam Stone, Prine died in Nashville on Tuesday at the age of 73. His wife tested positive for coronavirus and recovered however, Prine was hospitalised last month with symptoms and placed on a ventilator.
A large proportion of the deaths announced were from New York state. Widely considered the epicentre of the outbreak, it recorded 731 deaths on Tuesday.
It is on the cusp of overtaking the entire country of Italy with its number of confirmed cases.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state appeared to be nearing the peak of its pandemic. Hospital and intensive care admissions were down.
The governor urged people to stay inside and continue with social distancing.
“I know it’s hard but we have to keep doing it,” he said.
New Yorkers have been told to avoid large gatherings as Passover and Easter approaches.
READ ALSO: Coronavirus: New York Reports Highest Single-day Virus Death Toll
Elsewhere, the state of Wisconsin pressed ahead with an election on Tuesday, despite a state-wide stay-at-home order amid the escalating outbreak.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Mr. Trump said he was reluctant to discuss further but the US might be on track for fewer deaths than projected.
It was thought that as many as 240,000 people in the US could die in the pandemic, according to the president’s task force.
He also said the US might be getting to the top of the “curve” of the outbreak.
During the briefing, he also attacked the World Health Organization (WHO), saying it had issued bad advice and had been too focused on China.
“The WHO really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric,” he said.
He also said the US would be withholding money meant for the WHO.
In other developments:
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has spent his second night in the intensive care unit in hospital
Mauro Ferrari, the head of the European Research Council and the EU’s top scientist, has resigned citing Brussels’ “disappointing” response to the pandemic, the Financial Times reports
Coronavirus cases reported in China rose to 62, double Tuesday’s total. Asymptomatic cases rose to 137
Japan has woken up to its first day under a month-long state of emergency
Australia’s parliament is set to meet to pass a A$130bn (£65bn; $80bn) wage support package, designed to accommodate about half of Australia’s usual workforce
France’s death toll passed 10,000 after a rise in the number of fatalities at nursing homes.
