The US added 4M COVID-19 cases in November, more than most countries reported all year

Dr. Fauci says everyone should get on board with COVID-19 safety precautions

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House coronavirus task force, discussed COVID-19 public safety measures and vaccines on Nov. 24, 2020.

LOS ANGELES - The United States added more than 4 million new coronavirus cases in November alone, more than double the 1.8 million cases reported in the month of October, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The staggering number of new cases in the span of just one month in the U.S. is higher than what most countries have reported all year, with the exception of India and Brazil, which currently trail behind the U.S. in total cases and deaths.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the U.S. has recorded more than 13.6 million COVID-19 cases and over 270,000 deaths as of Dec. 1, representing the highest case count and death toll in the world.

In the past week alone, the U.S. recorded more than 12,000 deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.

Americans returning from Thanksgiving break faced strict new coronavirus measures around the country Monday as health officials brace for a disastrous worsening of the nationwide surge because of holiday gatherings over the long weekend.

Los Angeles County imposed a stay-at-home order for its 10 million residents, and Santa Clara County, in the heart of Silicon Valley, banned high school, college and professional sports and decreed a quarantine for those who have traveled more than 150 miles outside the county.

In Hawaii, the mayor of Hawaii County said trans-Pacific travelers arriving without a negative COVID-19 test must quarantine for 14 days, and even those who have tested virus-free may be randomly selected for another test upon arrival. New Jersey is suspending all youth sports.

An ambulance drives down a road in Brooklyn on December 01, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said hospitals across the state will reduce elective surgeries to ensure there is room for coronavirus patients. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 jumped 29% in the past week.

In Kansas City, Kansas, hospital and nursing officials said they fear there will not be enough nurses to staff new hospital beds in the metro area if COVID-19 cases continue unchecked. Health officials on Monday added 4,425 confirmed infections and 87 hospitalizations to the state’s pandemic tally since Friday.

Rhode Island’s hospitals reached their COVID-19 capacity on Monday, the same day the state’s two-week pause took effect. Under restrictions announced by Gov. Gina Raimondo, some businesses will be required to shut down, while others are restricted. Residents are also asked to limit their social circles to people in their household.

Health experts had pleaded with Americans to stay home over Thanksgiving and not gather with anyone who didn’t live with them. Nevertheless, almost 1.2 million people passed through U.S. airports Sunday, the most since the pandemic gripped the country in March, and others took to the highways to be with family and friends.

Now they’re being urged to watch for any signs of illness and get tested right away if they experience symptoms.

Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. currently represent 20% of all global deaths related to the virus. The country on average is seeing more than 160,000 new cases per day and over 1,400 deaths — a toll on par with what the nation witnessed in mid-May, when New York City was the epicenter.

Total U.S. hospitalizations due to the coronavirus reached a record-breaking 98,691 people as of Monday, pushing many medical institutions to the limit.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.