As US hits record cases, Biden set to announce coronavirus taskforce

Mr Biden will name a taskforce on Monday to begin formulating a plan for his presidency to deal with the coronavirius

A group of friends who live in New York City celebrate after former Vice President Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 U.S. presidential election as they ride down Fifth Avenue in a rented open top double decker bus in Manhattan, New York City, U.S. Reuters

Protesters rally outside the State Capitol building after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 US presidential election, in Lansing, Michigan. Reuters

The US Capitol is seen the day after a presidential election victory was called for Joe Biden, in Washington. Reuters

Supporters of the US president who still refuse to recognize Joe Biden's victory, including local Republican Candidate Doug McLinko (L) and Eamon Daley, 28, (2nd R), kneel as they pray outside Jones Diner in Towanda, Pennsylvania on November 8, 2020. They won't believe it "until the results are certified". AFP

Supporters of US President Donald Trump rally outside the State Capitol building after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election, in Lansing, Michigan. Reuters

President-elect Joe Biden and his daughter Ashley Biden leave after visiting their family grave at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani addresses the media with the Trump legal team, at the Four Seasons Landscaping company in Philadelphia. Reuters

Two friends take pictures as they gather at the Lincoln Memorial at sunrise, the morning after incumbent President Donald Trump was defeated. AP

President-elect Joe Biden arrives at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware. AFP

Supporters of President-elect Joe Biden face off over barriers against supporters of President Donald Trump protesting outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, a day after the 2020 election was called for Democrat Biden. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

News of Joe Biden's victory in US elections is aired on a digital screen in Dubai Stock Exchange in Dubai, UAE. Reuters

Posters displaying election results hang on the fence outside of St. John's Church near the White House. Reuters

Jordan Johnson poses with a Biden flag outside the White House, in Washington. Reuters

US President-elect Joe Biden arrives with his family for a church service in Wilmington, Delaware. Reuters

US President Donald Trump departs the White House, in Washington. EPA

The White House in Washington the morning after incumbent President Donald Trump was defeated by his Democratic challenger, President-elect Joe Biden AP

In this image made through the window of the press vehicle accompanying the motorcade carrying President Donald Trump, people hold signs at the entrance of Trump National Golf Club. AP

People gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to watch the sunrise the day after incumbent President Donald Trump was defeated by his Democratic challenger, President-elect Joe Biden. AP

Birds fly over the White House at dusk, the day after a presidential election victory was called for former Vice President Joe Biden, in Washington. Reuters

The United States declared record numbers of coronavirus cases this week as president-elect Joe Biden announced an overhaul of the US response to the pandemic.

Mr Biden is set to announce a 12-person coronavirus taskforce on Monday. His campaign said the taskforce would be led by former surgeon general Vivek Murthy, Yale University's Dr Marcella Nunez-Smith and former Food and Drug Administration commissioner David Kessler.

The taskforce will come up with a plan “built on a bedrock of science,” Mr Biden said to a crowd in Wilmington Delaware on Saturday, adding he would “spare no effort, or commitment, to turn this pandemic around.”

Coronavirus cases worldwide exceeded 50 million on Sunday and the US continues to be the country with the largest number of total cases with over 10 million. The US also accounts for 243,322 of the world’s 1,259,189 registered deaths from the disease.

The second wave is now crashing on the US, with a record-breaking 100,000 daily coronavirus cases on the latest seven-day average. It reported more than 130,000 cases on Saturday.

The virus appeared to drop off the agenda as the country geared up for a contentious election, of which Mr Biden was declared winner on Saturday.

His rival and outgoing president Donald Trump’s rallies, some open-air and with few masks and little social distancing, led to 30,000 additional confirmed cases and likely led to more than 700 deaths, Stanford University economists estimated in a research paper.

As part of his campaign, during which he pilloried Mr Trump for inaction on the crisis, Mr Biden said would appoint a national supply chain commander and a testing committee. He has also floated the idea of a national mask-wearing mandate.

He said a robust Covid-19 response was essential to his first months in the presidency.

“We cannot repair the economy, restore our vitality, or relish life’s most precious moments – hugging a grandchild, birthdays, weddings, graduations, all the moments that matter most to us – until we get this virus under control."

Mr Biden’s strategy to fight the virus may come too late to save thousands of US lives, as he won’t take power until January 20. Cases are rising in 27 states and almost 55,000 people were hospitalised with the disease on Friday, according to the Covid Tracking Project.

"If we don't do anything to stop it, we are in the trajectory going straight up," Dr Carlos Del Rio, executive associate dean of the Emory School of Medicine and Grady Health System in Georgia told The Guardian.

The American public may not have to wait for Mr Biden’s new strategy. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell said the crisis was “job one” for Congress.

“Hopefully, the partisan passions that prevented us from doing another rescue package will subside with the election," he said on Wednesday.

"And I think we need to do it and I think we need to do it before the end of the year.”

Talks had largely stalled on the issue between Democrats and Republicans.

In pictures: coronavirus around the world