Washington, July 29 (RHC)-- The United States recorded more than 1,200 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday — the highest one-day toll since May, with one person dying of COVID-19 every 70 seconds. 

Arkansas, California, Florida, Oregon and Montana all reported one-day record death tolls, as a new federal report warned 21 states meet the definition of a “red zone,” where aggressive steps are needed to slow transmission of the disease.

In Texas, a state tally of coronavirus deaths jumped by 12% Tuesday after officials closed a loophole on how they report COVID-19 fatalities. The data show Latinx Texans are disproportionately more likely to die from the disease.

For those who survive COVID-19, there’s increasing evidence of long-term organ damage.  A new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that of 100 middle-aged patients who recovered from COVID-19, 78 had structural damage to their hearts.