1 California
According to The San Francisco Chronicle, California just had its highest rate of new cases in a single day this Wednesday, with 4,224 confirmed cases of infection. This record-breaking high dwarfed its next-highest record of 3,683 cases, recorded just last Friday. Though the state was relatively unscathed early in the pandemic, these surging numbers may mean California could become a new hotspot of the virus. And if you were planning a trip to a national park this summer, check out Two of the Most Popular Tourist Attractions in the U.S. Are Reopening.  2 Arizona
On Friday, the Arizona Department of Health Sciences announced a single-day high of 3,246 new coronavirus cases, sending the state’s total case count soaring at over 46,000. According to CNN, this rapid increase in cases prompted outcry from over 3,000 medical professionals across the state, all of whom signed letters asking Gov. Doug Ducey to mandate the wearing of face masks in public. 3 Florida
Florida’s case numbers continue to climb, with yet another record high this week of 3,207 new cases in one day. According to The Miami Herald, this brings the state’s total case count to over 85,000—up significantly from last week’s total of 71,000. The spike in numbers has raised doubts about the state’s swift reopening plan, despite being touted by officials as “safe, smart, and step-by-step.” And read on for more on how Florida is handling its skyrocketing case count: This Major U.S. City is Pausing Reopening Due to Huge Coronavirus Surge. ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb 4 Texas
For the fifth day in a row, Texas reported its highest single-day case count yet. On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbot announced at a news conference that there were a staggering 2,622 new confirmed cases in one day, and speculated that these could be the result of Memorial Day cookouts and gatherings across the state. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. 5 South Carolina
On Thursday, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 987 new cases of COVID-19 in one day, its highest single-day jump since the onset of the pandemic. This brings the state’s total number of coronavirus cases to 21,533 and the total number of deaths to 621. And find out which states are winning the fight against COVID-19: These Are the Only Three States on Track to Contain Coronavirus.