Toilet paper, disinfectant and groceries are once again flying off the shelves across the United States with states forced to impose stricter lockdowns and the number of new COVID-19 cases spiking to 166,000 Monday. 

Pictures taken in recent days show stores in Washington, California, Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, Michigan and Missouri have all been affected by the rush.  It is the second time this year that shoppers appear to be panic buying; stores were left scrambling to restock shelves wiped out in response to COVID-19 back in March.  

But experts say the run is likely to be less severe this time as stores and shoppers are more prepared.  Subodha Kumar, a supply chain expert at Temple University, told The Daily Beast: 'People have already hoarded a lot of this stuff in their basements.' 

A new flurry of lockdown measures came as 40 states reported record daily increases in COVID-19 cases this month, while 20 states have registered all-time highs in daily coronavirus-related deaths and 26 reported new peaks in hospitalizations, according to the Reuters tally. The nation as a whole has averaged more than 148,000 new cases a day, and 1,120 daily deaths, over the past week.  

Several governors, from New Jersey and California to Iowa and Ohio, acted on Monday to restrict gatherings ahead of Thanksgiving and boost face-coverings in confronting a coronavirus surge they warned is out of control. 

Each of the four governors cited health data showing the pandemic reaching its most perilous point yet in the US, threatening to overwhelm hospitals and claim thousands more lives in the weeks ahead. 

In New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's stay-at-home order went into effect Monday. Only essential businesses, including grocery stores and pharmacies, will be open.