More Than 500k Coronavirus Cases Recorded In US - John Hopkins University

By Staff, Agencies

The number of coronavirus cases recorded in the United States surged past 500,000 late Friday, according to the latest tally by Johns Hopkins University.

The US has led the world in the number of infections since the end of March. With more than a third of all officially declared cases globally, it threatens to overtake Europe, which has recorded more than 850,000 cases.

The state of New York, with its more than 150,000 confirmed infections, now has more OCVID-19 cases than any country outside the US.

While the death toll in the state has been surging, with Thursday seeing its highest day-to-day increase with 799 fatalities registered, there could be a silver lining to the cloud.

According to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the state has been seeing a decreasing number of hospitalizations, suggesting the outbreak could be hitting its peak.

More than 100,000 people have died worldwide from the coronavirus, with nearly 70 percent of all fatalities in Europe, according to several tallies compiled on Friday based on official sources.

A total of 100,661 people succumbed to the virus, including 70,245 in Europe since the virus first emerged in China in December.

Italy has the highest number of deaths with 18,849, followed by the United States with 17,925 and 15,843 in Spain.