US Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf announced that borders with Mexico and Canada would remain shut to most travel to stem to spread of the coronavirus for another month to August 20.

Confirming reports days earlier from Canada that Washington had renewed the four-month-old shutdown, Wolf said the decision represented the success of collaboration on the COVID-19 pandemic.

But it also comes as new US confirmed infections hit a record 67,632 on Wednesday and deaths surpassed 137,000, underscoring the failure of the US government to get the disease under control.

In Canada, the leaders of several provinces had spoken out against reopening the border with the US due to its surge in cases.

Canada has recorded more than 8,800 deaths and more than 108,000 cases, while Mexican cases have topped 317,000 and the number of deaths is nearing 37,000.