A patient suffering from coronavirus in France

(Photo : REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)

The US coronavirus death toll hit 5,897 on Thursday, with more than 244,000 confirmed cases across the nation. The recent tally brings the world's COVID-19 cases to more than 1 million. 

More states have imposed a stay-at-home order as the number of coronavirus deaths in the country reached a new high, with more than 900 reported in the last 24 hours. 

A 6-week old child was amongst the newly reported deaths. The newborn was taken to a Connecticut hospital late last week where doctors found the baby to be infected with COVID-19. 

Recent data showed people without symptoms are helping fuel the spread of the virus, prompting a nationwide debate on whether Americans should be required to wear cloth masks in public. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said as many as 25 percent of people infected with COVID-19 do not show any symptoms---a high number that further complicates efforts to predict the pandemic's course. 

The new data led the federal health agency to re-review its guidelines on whether the general public should wear masks. 

Until now, the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have advised against having ordinary people wear masks unless they are sick. The former guidance hoped to reserve as many medical-grade masks for health care workers who need them most. 

Many experts voiced their concerns on the widespread use of face masks as health care workers are currently facing a major supply shortage on medical equipment, including personal protective equipment designed to keep them safe from contracting the virus.

Many healthcare workers have begun falling ill, with others dying from COVID-19. Recently, 150 doctors and nurses from four Boston hospitals tested positive for the virus. The surge in cases involving medical professionals means fewer healthcare workers can attend to the needs of the public. 

Health experts continue to urge the public to observe social distancing measures "to a tee" as failing to do will keep the country from flattening the curve and winning in the invisible war against the global pandemic. 

Other health experts say social distancing measures are not enough to combat the virus. Some urged the government to implement a national shelter-in-place order as research showed the deadly coronavirus to be twice as contagious as the flu. 

A large-scale study found early interventions, including restricting people's movements, saved thousands of lives across Europe. 

Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the virus response, believes the United States can bend the curve, so long as every American take "some responsibility" and follow the strict social distancing guidelines. 

She also noted some communities in the nation showing promising results in slowing the spread of the virus.

"We have to change the logarithmic curve we are on," she said. "We see others beginning to bend their curves, we can bend ours."

The United States currently leads the world in the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. 

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