iStock/Ivan-balvan (WASHINGTON, D.C.) — The U.S. identified over 25,000 new COVID-19 positive cases on Sunday, pushing the national total to at least 1,158,041 — according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
While high, the number is a decline from the peak of 36,300 new cases, which transpired on April 24. However, the nation’s death toll continues to climb with the most recent numbers projecting over 69,000 deaths.
Despite the staggering numbers, President Donald Trump pushed to reopen the country, conceding that the national death toll will most likely surpass 100,000.
“I’ll tell you one thing. We did the right thing and I really believe we saved a million and a half lives,” the president said in an interview with Fox News. “It is horrible to go through, but it is working out.”
As for when he wants the entire U.S. economy back on track, President Trump lamented that “Some states, I think, frankly, aren’t going fast enough.”
The president added that a vaccine could become available by year’s end.
Meanwhile, Senators returned to Capitol Hill Monday and tensions flared between Republicans and Democrats. While Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pushing for more federal appointments while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer countering that there was no COVID-19-related bills on the docket.
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