The top infectious disease expert in the US will testify before a coronavirus subcommittee in Congress, weeks after President Donald Trump's administration first refused to let him address the panel.
Dr Anthony Fauci's testimony today comes at the end of a week when the pandemic's toll on the country has become far clearer.
US coronavirus deaths rose by almost 25,000 in July and cases doubled in at least 18 states during the month.
The United States has recorded nearly 1.8 million new cases in July out of its total 4.5 million infections, an increase of 66% with many states yet to report.
The biggest increases were in Florida, with over 300,000 new cases in July, followed by California and Texas with about 250,000 each. Those three states also saw cases double in June.
The US also shattered single day global records in July by reporting over 77,000 new cases on 16 July.
The death toll stands at more than 150,000 and data yesterday showed the economy was experiencing a deep plunge.
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Democrats said the Trump administration initially prevented Dr Fauci from testifying to the panel by saying he was unavailable for the entire month of July and relented only after House Majority Whip James Clyburn wrote to Vice President Mike Pence.
A veteran of six Republican and Democratic administrations, Dr Fauci has become the most familiar face of the administration's coronavirus task force.
This week, Mr Trump, who has often bristled against scientists' advice on responding to the pandemic, bemoaned the degree to which Dr Fauci is admired, saying "nobody likes me. It can only be my personality."
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US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr Robert Redfield and Admiral Brett Giroir, assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services, are also scheduled to testify before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.
Headed by Mr Clyburn, the subcommittee was created this year to monitor the trillions of dollars approved by Congress to help the United States weather the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.
Major China Virus flare ups in many of the countries that the Fake News was touting as doing so well. Some of these countries are now a disaster. Lamestream Media doesn't want to report this. Also, highly inaccurate numbers being reported by many other countries!!! @WSJ
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 30, 2020
Earlier this week, Mr Trump retweeted a post accusing Dr Fauci and Democrats of suppressing the use of the drug hydroxychloroquine to treat the new coronavirus that included a link to a video of a group discounting the need for face masks amid the pandemic.
The tweet was removed by social media companies.
