U.S. Has More COVID Deaths in 1 Day Than at Least 36 Countries Have Had Since Pandemic Began

The U.S. on Wednesday recorded more COVID-19 deaths in a single day than at least 36 other countries' overall death toll totals since the beginning of the ongoing pandemic.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, there were more than 2,800 new deaths reported in the U.S., which marked its largest single-day increase—topping a previous high set on April 15, when more than 2,600 deaths were reported.

While the U.S. may be the third most populated country in the world, Johns Hopkins University's data shows the nation experienced more COVID-19 deaths in that one day compared to 36 countries' total death tolls across the globe. Those countries include Japan; Ireland; New Zealand; Australia; Finland; Denmark; Thailand; South Korea; Greece; Paraguay; Lithuania; Afghanistan; Albania; Norway; Syria; Uruguay; Serbia; Kazakhstan; Kuwait; Belarus; Croatia; Armenia; Lebanon; Ethiopia; Venezuela; Kenya; Algeria; Malaysia; Syria; Nepal; United Arab Emirates; Qatar; Slovakia; Libya; Slovenia; and Nigeria.

According to the data, countries such as Japan, Ireland, Greece, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Algeria have recorded over 2,000 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic, but their numbers have not surpassed the 2,800 deaths recorded in the U.S. on Wednesday.

On the other hand, countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Finland, Denmark, Thailand, South Korea, Norway, Venezuela, Denmark, Malaysia, Lithuania and Uruguay have been able to control the spread of the novel virus and keep their death tolls below 1,000.

In addition to having more deaths in one day than several other countries have seen throughout the pandemic, the U.S. has the most deaths and cases of the novel virus. The country has reported at least 273,746 COVID-19 deaths, as well more than 13.9 million cases.

Following behind the U.S. in overall coronavirus cases is India with more than 9.5 million, and Brazil with over 6.4 million. Similarly, these three countries, as well as Mexico, are the only nations to see more than 100,000 deaths caused by the novel virus.

The largest single-day increase in deaths in the U.S. comes shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday, which was expected to cause a spike in cases, deaths and hospitalizations. Medical professionals have warned that the U.S. could continue to face worsening conditions as the winter months near.

On Wednesday, Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that the U.S. could see an additional 200,000 COVID-19 deaths within the next three months if mitigation efforts aren't taken seriously.

"The reality is December and January and February are going to be rough times. I actually believe they're going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation," Redfield said during a U.S. Chamber of Commerce event. "I do think unfortunately, before we see February, we could be close to 450,000 Americans dead from this virus."

Earlier this week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, made similar comments while speaking to ABC's This Week. He said that the spread of the virus would not "all of a sudden turn around."

"So clearly in the next few weeks, we're going to have the same sort of thing. And perhaps even two or three weeks down the line ... we may see a surge upon a surge," Fauci said.

Newsweek reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication.