The United States’ top infectious disease expert has warned that holiday travel could push the country to a “critical point” in the coronavirus pandemic and that the worst may be yet to come.

“I share the concern of President-elect [Joe] Biden that as we get into the next few weeks, it might actually get worse”, - Dr Anthony Fauci told CNN.

Biden, who will take office on January 20, cautioned on Wednesday that the nation’s “darkest days are ahead of us – not behind us”.

In recent weeks, there has been a surge in COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths across the country.

The US has recorded an average of 185,903 new infections over the past seven days, while the number of people in hospital with the disease reached 117,344, according to COVID Tracking Project data.