Coronavirus updates: Fauci sets record straight on masks after debate

Canada's daily COVID-19 case count has reached a level not seen since the peak of daily cases in April, Canada's chief public-health official Dr. Theresa Tam said on Wednesday.

"This increases the latest 7-day average to 1,471 cases reported daily across Canada," Tam tweeted.

Most of the cases now are among younger people, she said.

Hospitalizations have been rising over the last few weeks in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, she said.

"Things have escalated quickly and will escalate further unless we work together to #SlowtheSpread," Tam warned.

Canada has over 159,000 people diagnosed with COVID-19. At least 9,340 people in the country have died, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

ABC News’ Christine Theodorou contributed to this report.

The incidence rates of the novel coronavirus in Paris, Lyon and Lille have exceeded the threshold of 250 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants set by the government.

In France, a region can be placed on maximum alert when the incidence rate of the virus -- the number of new positive cases -- is greater than 250 per 100,000 inhabitants over the last seven days in the general population and over 100 for people over 60. More than 30% of intensive care beds must also be occupied by COVID-19 patients.

Paris, Lyon and Lille have now reached several of these milestones meaning the cities could be placed on "maximum alert" and have new government restrictions placed on them.

As of Tuesday, France has reported 590,021 cases of coronavirus and 31,908 deaths.

France is attempting to revive its economy while simultaneously trying to curb a steady climb in infections which spread during the summer months.

ABC News' Ibtissem Guenfoud contributed to this report.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 17 deaths due to the novel coronavirus, which brought the total number of deaths in the state to 1,300 people.

The 17 deaths recorded Tuesday was the highest reported number in a single day since late May.

"We are in a crisis right now," said Ryan Westergaard, DHS chief medical officer. "The likelihood that this is going to get much worse before it gets better is a real one."

The number of people hospitalized due to the virus in Wisconsin was also higher than ever on Tuesday with 646 coronavirus patients occupying beds and 205 patients being treated in the ICU.

Additionally, the average new daily case count over the last seven days for the state was 2,255, the highest number yet.

Wisconsin also reported 2,367 new cases and 8,379 negative tests, for a positivity rate of 22%. The average positivity rate over the last seven days was 19.5%.

On Tuesday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear reported 1,018 new cases -- the state's second highest single-day increase since March 6.

“It ought to be a wake-up call,” Beshear said. “What that means is we are on pace to have even more cases than last week where we set a record number of cases.”

Kentucky is one of 22 states currently considered in the "red zone" for cases according to the latest White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing obtained by ABC News.

The official rate of positive tests, a seven-day average, remains below 5 percent, at 4.24 percent. In addition to the second-highest number of daily cases, Kentucky reported 72,808 new tests on Tuesday, the second-highest amount announced in a single day since the start of the pandemic. A total of 1,446,385 tests have been administered since early March.