The milestone was reached a day after the deadliest day of the pandemic since May, with over 1,700 people dying on Tuesday alone.

Health experts had warned that it was only a matter of time before deaths turned upward, given the record-breaking surge in cases engulfing the country.

Over the past six months, the Trump administration has prioritized politics over science at key moments, refusing to follow expert advice that might have contained the spread of the virus.

The numbers have been driven in large part by a surge in infections in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas.

Thursday also saw more than 1,000 deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours for the third day in a row.

Travellers should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19, no matter where they went, officials say.