LOS ANGELES -- California on Thursday became the first state in the United States to surpass 2 million COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, according to official figures.

The California Department of Public Health confirmed 39,070 new COVID-19 infections and 351 additional deaths in a daily release, pushing its cumulative cases up to 2,003,146, with 23,635 related deaths in the most populous US state.

The state, home to around 40 million residents, hit the latest bleak milestone just six weeks after surpassing the 1 million mark.

California governor Gavin Newsom called it "a sobering news, a sobering reality, on Christmas eve" in a video posted on the Twitter page of his office.

"351 lives lost yesterday -- our hearts are with those families," the governor lamented.

"To our health care heroes -- we see you. You matter," he tweeted.

"There is nothing more courageous than the work you do," added the governor.

There are 18,875 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in the state, among whom 3,962 are in the intensive care unit (ICU). The 7-day positivity rate is 12.1 percent and the 14-day positivity rate is 12.4 percent, according to the department.