U.S. surpasses 35 million Covid cases over the weekend

(KYMA, KECY/ NBC News) - The number of US Covid-19 cases has surpassed 35 million as California became the first state to pass four million.

Almost 616,800 people have died from the disease in the U.S., according to the calculations. California has recorder 42,897 new cases in the last few days--3,628 of them on Sunday alone.

That took the state's total above 4 million slightly over 10% of the state's population.

Authorities and health experts stress that the vaccines remain remarkably effective at preventing serious illness and death.

So called "breakthrough infections" of people who have been vaccinated, represent less than .08 % of the 164.2 plus people who have been fully vaccinated since January.