Protests were held in Austin, Texas, against the requirement to wear face coverings.

The spread of coronavirus infections has taken a “swift and very dangerous turn” in the US state of Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has warned.

“Over just the past few weeks, the daily number of cases have gone from an average of about 2,000, to more than 5,000 a day,” he said on Sunday.

Several southern and western states have recorded a surge in cases after lockdown restrictions were eased.

The number of reported infections in the US has now surpassed 2.5 million.

Over 125,000 Covid-19 patients are confirmed to have died nationwide – more than in any other country.