WASHINGTON — On the ninth consecutive day, the daily toll from coronavirus in the US has been fewer than 1,000, even as it remains the country hardest-hit by the pandemic with 119,086 deaths out of 2,219,119 official cases.

Another 705 people died due to the new coronavirus in the 24 hours leading up to 8:30 pm Friday (0030 GMT Saturday), according a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Some 20 states have seen a rebound in infections as the epicenter of the country’s outbreak has moved from New York and the country’s Northeast to the South and West.

Florida has seen record numbers of new cases almost every day in the past week, with 3,822 confirmed infections on Friday.

Governor Ron DeSantis has downplayed the rising caseload, saying many of the new patients are younger and asymptomatic.

There are fears of a second wave of COVID-19 infections following state reopening and massive anti-racism protests around the country in recent weeks.

President Donald Trump’s first campaign rally since the coronavirus crisis, which will be held Saturday night in Oklahoma, is also being criticized as a potential COVID-19 super spreader event.