New York state, the epicentre of America’s coronavirus crisis, set another single-day record of Covid-19 deaths, as veteran doctors and nurses voiced astonishment at the speed with which patients were deteriorating and dying, Reuters reported.

The number of known coronavirus infections in New York state alone approached 150,000, even as authorities warned that the official death tally may understate the true number because it omits those who have perished at home.

Nearly 430,000 cases were confirmed in the United States, including more than 14,700 deaths. For the second straight day, the virus killed at least 1,900 in a 24-hour period.

Cuomo said 779 people had died in the past day in his state.