California surpasses New York state in confirmed coronavirus cases
- State has reported more than 409,000 infections, overtaking former centre of US Covid-19 outbreak
- Fatalities remain higher in New York state, however, at 32,500 – more than four times California’s death toll
California has surpassed New York for the most coronavirus cases in the US, reporting more than 409,000 infections after setting a record on Tuesday for the state’s most confirmed new cases in a single day since the start of the pandemic.
The surge of cases comes as California reopened much of its economy in May.
Since then, Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered statewide shutdowns for bars and indoor dining while imposing tougher restrictions – including bans on indoor worship services and in-person instruction at schools – on virtually every large county and some small ones where the outbreak is most severe.
But New York still has by far the most coronavirus-related deaths in the country with more than 32,500. This is four times more than California’s tally. Its rate of confirmed infections of about 2,100 per 100,000 is twice California’s rate.
California’s cases have steadily climbed, with the state confirming 12,807 new cases on Tuesday – its highest single-day total since the start of the pandemic.
