U.S. coronavirus cases rise by nearly 50,000 in biggest one-day spike of pandemic

Pedestrians wearing masks walk down the sidewalk in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., July 1, 2020. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

(Reuters) - New U.S. COVID-19 cases rose by nearly 50,000 on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, marking the biggest one-day spike since the start of the pandemic.

The record follows a warning by the government's top infectious diseases expert that the number could soon double to 100,000 cases a day if Americans do not come together to take steps necessary to halt the virus' resurgent spread, such as wearing masks when unable to practice social distancing.