People over 75, front-line essential workers should get vaccine next, CDC panel says

There were 247,403 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the United States on Wednesday, marking a fresh record high, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.

It's the 44th straight day that the U.S. has reported over 100,000 newly diagnosed infections. Wednesday's tally shatters the country's previous all-time high of 231,775 new cases confirmed on Dec. 11, according to Johns Hopkins data.

An additional 3,656 deaths from the disease were also registered nationwide on Wednesday, setting yet another record. It's only the fourth time since the pandemic began that the country has reported more than 3,000 COVID-19 deaths in a single day. The country's previous peak of 3,300 fatalities was recorded on Dec. 11, according to Johns Hopkins data.

A total of 16,979,777 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 307,501 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins data. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.

Much of the country was under lockdown by the end of March as the first wave of pandemic hit. By May 20, all U.S. states had begun lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The day-to-day increase in the country's cases then hovered around 20,000 for a couple of weeks before shooting back up over the summer.

The numbers lingered around 40,000 to 50,000 from mid-August through early October before surging again to record levels, crossing 100,000 for the first time on Nov. 4 and reaching 200,000 for the first time on Nov. 27.

Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt has tested positive for COVID-19. The department spokesman, Nicholas Goodwin, confirmed the news Wednesday, after an inquiry from The Washington Post.

Bernhardt received his test results prior to President Donald Trump's Cabinet meeting Wednesday and did not attend the session.

"He is currently asymptomatic and will continue to work on behalf of the American people while in quarantine," Goodwin said in an email.

As a result of Bernhardt's diagnosis, various high-ranking department officials who were in close contact with him this week are now getting tested.

He is the third top official at the department known to have tested positive for the virus since November. Interior's top attorney, Daniel Jorjani, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith also tested positive.

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., said Wednesday night that he tested positive for COVID-19, after voting on the House floor earlier in the day.

Wilson, who is known for shouting "You lie" at President Barack Obama during his 2009 health care address to Congress, said he will be taking "all necessary precautions" and quarantine through Christmas.

"Thankfully I feel fine and do not have any symptoms. It is so important that we all do our part to help prevent the spread of this virus," Wilson said in a statement.

Wilson's office has not responded to questions about whether any members or staff are quarantining as a result of close contact with the congressman, or if he knew of his result before voting on the House floor.

Approximately 37 members of Congress, the majority of whom are Republicans, have tested positive or presumed positive for COVID-19, according to an ABC News tally.

-ABC News' Ben Siegel

The U.S. recorded 3,400 new coronavirus =-related deaths Wednesday, a new daily record, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

This comes one week after the U.S. recorded its first day with 3,000 deaths.

"The new 7-day average for deaths in the South is at an all-time high. The region reported 1,053 deaths today, a new single-day record," the tracking project tweeted.

Hospitalizations also reached a new record-high Wednesday, with 113,069 Americans hospitalized with the virus, according to the health data.

"The 7-day average for deaths is rising in 23 states across the US. There are 16 states reporting higher per-million deaths than the summer peak in AZ," the tracking project tweeted.

The seven-day average of deaths, 2,507, and seven-day average of hospitalizations 109,945, were also record-highs, the tracking project said.