Record 65 percent say coronavirus situation getting worse: Gallup

More than 6 in 10 Americans believe the coronavirus outbreak in the United States is getting worse, a record number according to a new Gallup survey. 

The findings come as parts of the U.S. are experiencing a surge in new COVID-19 cases, causing several states to put reopening plans on hold.

The U.S. on Wednesday reported more than 50,000 new cases of the virus, marking the first time single-day infections have surpassed that figure. 

The Gallup survey, released on Thursday, found that 65 percent of Americans say that the coronavirus situation is getting either “a little” or “a lot” worse, marking a new high. Just 23 percent of respondents said that the situation is getting “a lot” or “a little” better.

The figure also represents a new low in Americans’ feelings about the outbreak.

Gallup began surveying respondents on whether they thought the coronavirus situation was getting better or worse in early April, as states across the country began imposing stay-at-home orders as part of an effort to curb the spread of the disease.

Fifty-six percent of respondents told Gallup in its first survey including the questions that the situation was getting worse. But that figure continued to drop in the following weeks, with just 30 percent of Americans saying the coronavirus situation was getting worse in early June and 47 percent saying it was getting better.

Feelings about the virus worsened in June. By June 22, 48 percent of respondents said the virus situation was getting worse. Gallup’s latest survey, marking a 17-point jump from the previous week, showed that feelings about the outbreak remain split along party lines. 

While 90 percent of Democrats say the situation is getting worse, just 28 percent of Republicans say the same. Meanwhile, 63 percent of independents say that the virus situation is getting worse. A majority of GOP respondents (54 percent) say the situation is getting better. 

An overwhelming majority of respondents (74 percent) say they expect the outbreak to disrupt school, travel and work for the rest of the year or beyond that, marking a 10-point increase from the previous week. 

As of Thursday, the U.S. had reported approximately 2.6 million total cases of COVID-19 and 128,000 deaths caused by the disease.

Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, has warned that the U.S. could experience 100,000 new cases per day if states do not control the virus’s spread. 

The Gallup survey was conducted between June 22-June 28 among a random sample of 3,454 adults. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.