The coronavirus outbreak killed a record 2,410 Americans in a single day, pushing the total death toll to 26,059 on Wednesday.

The U.S., with the world's third-largest population, has recorded more fatalities from COVID-19 than any other country. There are now 609,516 U.S. cases, with 2 million reported cases globally.

The coronavirus outbreak could reach its peak in the country this week, a top U.S. health official said Monday, pointing to signs of stabilization across the country.

Sweeping stay-at-home restrictions to curb the spread of the disease, in place for weeks in many areas of the country, have taken a painful toll on the economy, raising questions over how the country can sustain business closures and travel curbs.

On Sunday, a Trump administration official indicated May 1 as a potential date for easing the restrictions while cautioning that it was still too early to say whether that goal would be met.