U.S. coronavirus cases rise by record for third day in a row, up over 62,500

FILE PHOTO: Healthcare workers walk through the Texas Medical Center during a shift change as cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spike in Houston, Texas, U.S., July 8, 2020. REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare

(Reuters) - The United States reported at least 62,500 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, a record daily increase for a third day in a row, according to a Reuters tally.

Seven states reported record increases in cases on Friday: Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Ohio, Utah and Wisconsin.

Walt Disney Co stuck to its plans to reopen its flagship theme park in Orlando on Saturday even as Florida recorded its second-highest increase in cases ever with more than 11,000 new cases.

Disney's chief medical officer said this week that she believes the broad set of safeguards the company developed with health experts would allow guests to visit the park safely.

Americans have become increasingly divided on issues such as the reopening of schools and businesses and wearing face masks in public. There is near-universal consensus among health experts that wearing masks is one of the most effective ways to stop transmission of the virus, which has killed more than 133,000 Americans.

The previous record on Thursday was when cases rose by 62,304. In June, cases rose by an average of 28,000 a day, according to a Reuters tally.

(Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Daniel Wallis)