After the United States recorded more than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time Wednesday, the record was surpassed again Thursday as 121,888 new COVID-19 cases were tallied across the country.
That's about 85 cases per minute.
On Friday, new coronavirus restrictions in Massachusetts begin, including a statewide face mask mandate, closure of some businesses, and limits to indoor and outdoor gatherings.
In Maine, Gov. Janet Mills issued a mask mandate regardless of whether people can physically distance from others. Across the country, Idaho is seeing a record number of daily cases and hospitals are running out of space for COVID-19 patients.
📈 Today's numbers: The U.S. has reported more than 9.6 million cases and more than 234,900 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: more than 48.7 million cases and 1.2 million deaths.
🗺️ Mapping coronavirus: Track the U.S. outbreak in your state.
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Most states are setting weeklong case records. That hasn't happened since April.
A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data through late Thursday shows 27 states set records for new cases in a week while five states had a record number of deaths in a week.
The last time most states in the U.S. were setting case count records for a week wasn't in the summer surge of COVID-19 but the week ending April 7.
New case records were set in Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Record numbers of deaths were reported in New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
The USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data also shows 46 states had more cases in the latest week than in the week before. Forty-three states had a higher rate of people testing positive than the week before, an analysis of COVID Tracking Project data shows.
– Mike Stucka
Idaho hospitals running out of room as COVID cases spike; 2 flu deaths
Idaho hospitals are running out of space for COVID-19 patients as cases continue to surge statewide. At least 671 Idaho residents have died from the coronavirus, and a record high of 1,290 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Wednesday, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, followed by 1,265 new cases Thursday.
Meanwhile, the state's Disaster Medical Advisory Community on Tuesday sent a letter to Gov. Brad Little asking him to impose a statewide mask mandate. The committee, which was tasked with setting Idaho’s triage guidelines during an emergency, said a mask mandate would slow the spread of the virus and help hospitals avoid having to ration care.
As coronavirus cases surge statewide, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare on Wednesday announced the state's first flu-related deaths this season. Both individuals – a Blaine County man older than 60 and a Twin Falls County woman older than 80 – also had COVID-19 when they died.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills orders stricter mask mandate amid COVID surge
Maine Gov. Janet Mills issued a new executive order Thursday requiring people to wear a face covering regardless of whether they can physically distance from others as. The new order strengthened a previously issued mask mandate that required face masks only if physically distancing was difficult to maintain.
“We have recorded yet another day of record high case numbers. This deadly and dangerous virus is spreading all across our state,” Mills said. “Protect your family. Protect a health care worker. Protect the elderly. Wear your face covering. Save lives. It is that simple.”
The state set a new single-day record of COVID-19 cases on Thursday with 183 new infections, WMTW reported. That brings the total count to 7,260 infections. No new deaths were reported Thursday, leaving the death toll at 150.
Report: NFL's Las Vegas Raiders to pay hefty price for COVID-19 violations
The Las Vegas Raiders will face the heftiest punishment of any team to date for multiple violations of the NFL's COVID-19 protocols. The league is fining the organization $500,000 and coach Jon Gruden $150,000, Yahoo Sports reported Thursday. The Raiders also will be stripped of a sixth-round draft pick, per the report.
No other team has been docked a draft selection for violating the league's COVID-19 policies. The Tennessee Titans were fined $350,000 in October after a joint investigation between the league and NFL Players Association determined the organization did not properly relay information to players during its COVID-19 outbreak and at times had personnel not wearing masks in the facility.
After Raiders right tackle Trent Brown tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago, the NFL found video evidence that included several players not wearing masks or face shields and not adhering to social distancing on the sidelines, a person with knowledge of the league's investigation told USA TODAY Sports under the condition of anonymity.
– Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Navajo Nation orders more weekend curfews amid second COVID-19 wave
The Navajo Nation late Wednesday announced two additional weekend-long curfews, citing a second wave of COVID-19 cases. The announcement came hours after tribal officials warned of an "uncontrolled spread" of COVID-19 within more than 20 of the tribe's communities.
The tribe's health department ordered the 56-hour weekend curfews, beginning at 9 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. on Nov. 9, according to a news release from the Navajo Nation executive branch. A second curfew with the same time constraints was set for the weekend of Nov. 13 through Nov. 16, the news release said.
"If you don’t need to purchase essential items or services and if you’re not an essential employee, then you should be at home during the 56-hour weekend curfew," Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in the news release.
– Chelsea Curtis, Arizona Republic
COVID-19 resources from USA TODAY
Contributing: The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID news: Massachusetts restrictions; Maine masks; Idaho hospitals