WASHINGTON: The United States set a grim double record on Wednesday (Dec 16) notching more than 3,700 deaths and more than 250,000 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

The country has seen a spectacular spike in COVID-19 infections for more than a month now, with about 113,000 people currently hospitalised due to the virus, also a new record, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.