The US state of Florida has hit a new daily coronavirus record of nearly 10,000 new cases - continuing its record-breaking week.
It reported 9,585 new positive Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours - shattering the previous day's record of 8,942 cases - and 24 deaths. The state's total now stands at 132,545 cases.
Infections are also up in some other parts of the world that have reopened, including the Czech Republic, which recently marked its biggest spike in virus cases in months.
The US leads the world in Covid-19 cases by far, accounting for 2.5 million of the global total of nearly 9.9 million since the virus emerged late last year in China.
US deaths now exceed 125,000, approximately one-fourth the world total of over 495,000.
The tension between public health and economic demands, a source of debate in nearly every country, will likely persist until a vaccine is developed.
"Something must be done to prevent economic problems caused by the coronavirus," said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran, which has struggled to curb its outbreak.
But the country gradually lifted restrictions from April to try to revive its sanctions-hit economy.
"But in the case of negligence and significant spread of the disease, economic problems will increase, too," he said.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been a proponent of a rapid reopening. But he conceded yesterday that his state had seen an "explosion" in virus cases, particularly among young adults who flocked to the state's beaches.
Authorities in Miami announced beaches will be closed over the July 4 holiday weekend, normally one of the busiest times of the year. Some Florida cities also cancelled July 4 fireworks displays.
Spiking numbers there and in several other US states marked a dramatic setback to efforts to reopen and salvage badly battered economies - efforts pushed by US President Donald Trump.
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom ordered Imperial County to reinstate stay-at-home orders, while San Francisco announced a "pause" in reopening, set for Monday, of barbers, hair salons and outdoor bars.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was sorry he had allowed bars to reopen so soon. "If I could go back and redo anything, it probably would have been to slow down the opening of bars, now seeing ... how quickly the coronavirus spread in the bar setting," he told KVIA television.
Texas was among the first US states to reopen. Starting 1 May, restaurants, cinemas and stores were allowed to open with limited capacities.
America's top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci has admitted that the United States is facing a "serious problem" from a resurgent coronavirus.
