Coronavirus cases have surged in the South in recent weeks, with some states reaching daily records for positive tests or hospitalizations.
At least two states on Monday reported adding the most COVID-19 cases since the start of the outbreak. Mississippi had 498 new coronavirus cases, breaking its previous single-day record of 439. South Carolina also hit a new high on Monday for a third time in the past four days, McClatchy newspapers reported.
In at least two other Southern states, the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients rose to their highest levels this week.