The coronavirus caseload around the United States continues to soar. Eighteen states set single-day case records in the past week, pushing the country closer to breaking the national single-day record for new cases, set less than two weeks ago. More than 73,500 were reported on Friday and more than 66,300 coronavirus cases on Saturday. The record is 75,697. Here’s the latest map and case count. With more than 4 million known infections and nearly 146,300 deaths, hospitalizations also continue to climb. Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, has had nearly 2,000 new virus cases and 47 deaths in the past seven days alone. The spike was fueled in part by visitors who flocked to the beach city because of its low case count. Is it possible to stabilize infections without going into full lockdown? Arizona, which experienced an alarming rate of growth this summer, is presenting as a real-time experiment. 2. The Amazon River, South America’s essential life source, is unleashing the virus on the entire region. We spent weeks on the river documenting the toll. Brazil has the second-highest death toll in the world — behind only the U.S. The six cities with the highest coronavirus exposure are all on the Amazon River, according to researchers. Nearly everyone there relies on the river and the boats that travel along it — for transportation, food, medicine. Researchers say they are behind the spread of the virus. The region’s ability to confront the pandemic has been further weakened under President Jair Bolsonaro, who has publicly mocked it, even though he tested positive himself. The U.S. still has by far the largest outbreak in the world, while much of Europe and Asia has flattened the curve. This chart shows how the U.S. compares with other hot spots. The New York Times