Dr. Deborah Birx said the US is entering a new phase in the fight against Covid-19 when the virus is now much more widespread than the first wave.

"What we are seeing now is very different than it was in March and April. The virus spreads terribly, in rural areas as well as in urban areas," said Birx, the coordinator of the task force in response to Covid-

She emphasized that Americans need to adhere to health recommendations, including wearing masks and keeping the community separate.

"To all those living in the countryside, you're not immune or protected from viruses," Birx said.

"The current disease is very different and it is spreading both in rural and urban areas," she stressed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predict that by August 22, more than 173,000 Americans will die from Covid-19.

In an interview with CNN, Birx did not give an estimate of the number of deaths due to Covid-19 until the end of this year but she noted that the death toll mainly depended on the actual southern and western states.

"No longer are super-infectious individuals, but super-infectious events and we need to stop them now. We definitely need more precautions," she said.

Covid-19 broke out in December 2019, appearing in 213 countries and territories with nearly 18 million cases and nearly 680,000 deaths.