Houston, July 17 (RHC)-- The U.S. continues to shatter coronavirus records, with 41 U.S. states recording increasing cases of COVID-19. More than 67,000 new cases were reported Wednesday, nearly tying the previous daily record. 

The official U.S. death toll is now over 137,000.  In Houston, Texas, the U.S. Army deployed hundreds of medical personnel to set up a COVID-19 ward in United Memorial Medical Center as intensive care units filled to capacity. 

Texas Congressmember Sheila Jackson Lee toured the hospital Wednesday and spoke with reporters, saying: "Whenever you enlist the United States military for assistance, you are at a peak crisis period.  I think that is important for everyone who thinks this is going away, COVID-19, anyone who thinks we’re at the end of it.”

The Houston Independent School District said Wednesday it will start the school year with at least six weeks of online classes, with a tentative plan to open classrooms in late October.