Washington, June 16 (RHC)-- The number of confirmed U.S. deaths from the coronavirus is approaching 117,000 as infections continue to surge in large parts of the country.  At least 21 states have seen increases in daily coronavirus cases, with Texas, Florida and California hitting new highs for daily infections over the last two weeks.

A new forecast by the University of Washington’s Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation predicts a second wave of the pandemic will hit the U.S. in September, bringing the death toll up to 170,000 by October. 

Meanwhile, the director of the Harvard Global Health Institute predicts another 100,000 people will die of the coronavirus in the U.S. by September.