The U.S. recorded 518 new coronavirus-linked deaths in the span of 24 hours, according to data published Sunday by Johns Hopkins University, as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state's coronavirus death toll is nearing 1,000. New York accounts for more than 40% of coronavirus deaths in the U.S.

The record toll, higher than the previous day's increase of 453, brings the country's total number of deaths since the start of the pandemic to 2,409.

The number of cases shot up 21,333 in one day, the data showed.

That is about the same as Saturday's increase of 21,309 but the numbers are counted in real time by Johns Hopkins and should be taken with caution.

New York state, which has become the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S., is by far the hardest-hit region, with nearly 60,000 cases and 965 deaths, according to a statement released Sunday by Gov. Cuomo. The vast majority of victims have been in New York City.

All 50 U.S. states have reported some cases of the virus that causes COVID-19, but New York state has the most, with over 52,000 positive tests for the illness. About 7,300 people were in New York hospitals Saturday, including about 1,800 in intensive care.

With 136,880 total cases, the U.S. has the highest number in the world, ahead of Italy, China and Spain.

Senior U.S. scientist Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert and an adviser to President Donald Trump during the crisis, cautiously predicted Sunday that the novel coronavirus could claim between 100,000 and 200,000 lives in the United States.