Nearly 2,600 US coronavirus deaths in 24 hours: tally

A worker changes the posters on an empty Hollywood Blvd amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 15, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. – US economic activity “contracted sharply and abruptly” nationwide amid the lockdowns imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Reserve said April 15, 2020. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP)

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Wednesday posted nearly 2,600 additional deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours, a new record and the heaviest daily toll of any country, Johns Hopkins University said.

A running tally from Johns Hopkins showed 2,569 victims at 8:30 pm Eastern Time (0030 GMT Thursday), compared with the same time the previous evening, bringing the total number of US deaths to 28,326 — higher than any other nation.

The figures came after President Donald Trump earlier in the evening said “the data suggests that nationwide we have passed the peak on new cases,” and he will announce Thursday the first plans for lifting coronavirus lockdowns.

According to Johns Hopkins, the number of cases in the US reached 636,350.

© Agence France-Presse