The number of people who have died from the novel coronavirus in the U.S. surpassed the 13,000 mark Wednesday, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.
The university's running tally counted 13,007 deaths and 402,923 cases as the U.S. struggles to curb the outbreak.
The bulk of deaths came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump warned this week would be "very painful" for the country for coronavirus-related casualties.
"During this painful week, we see glimmers of very, very strong hope. This will be a very painful week … at least part of next week, probably," Trump said.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned it would be very hard for the country.
"This is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans' lives. This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment and our 9/11 moment, only it's not going to be localized, it's going to be happening all over the country," he told Fox News Sunday.
New York is the state worst-hit by the pandemic.
The U.S. has become the country with the most confirmed coronavirus infections in the world, followed by Spain, Italy and Germany.
Since the virus emerged last December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, it has spread to at least 184 countries and regions.
There are more than 1.46 million confirmed infections worldwide and with more than 85,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins. More than 315,000 have recovered.
