COVID-19 cases in U.S. most populous state surpass 3.6 mln

LOS ANGELES, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in California, the most populous state in the United States, surpassed 3.6 million, showed data released by the state health authorities on Sunday.

The California Department of Public Health reported 4,954 new COVID-19 infections and 105 related deaths in a daily release, pushing its cumulative cases up to 3,600,178 and the death toll to 59,218, respectively.

The state, home to around 40 million residents, has the nation's top case count and highest death toll so far.

Public health officials said providers have reported administering a total of 22,777,893 vaccine doses statewide as of Sunday. The state will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all individuals aged 16 and older starting April 15.

California governor Gavin Newsom announced earlier this month that the state plans to fully reopen activities and businesses beginning June 15 as COVID-19 vaccinations remain widely available and hospitalizations associated with the virus continue to drop.