New York: In an wanted milestone, the US crossed 900,000 deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker.
It took just over a month and a half for casualties to rise from 8 lakh to 9 lakh in the US. No other countries has suffered so many casualties in the global pandemic which broke nearly two years ago.
The US stands on top in total number of COVID-positive cases also, with 7.6 crore cases having been reported so far.
India is third in terms of COVID deaths (5.01 lakh) and second as far as coronavirus-infected number is concerned (4.21 crore).
According to US government data, daily Omicron cases are falling, but the daily death count is still showing an upward trend. Nearly 4,000 deaths were reported on Friday, while the average is about 2,400 over the past few weeks.
“Hospitalizations remain high, stretching our healthcare capacity and workforce to its limits in some areas of the country,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky said.
The pandemic has killed 5.7 million people across the world. World Health Organization, however, says the actual toll could be two to three times higher.
WORST-AFFECTED NATIONS
United States — 9 lakh deaths, 7.62 cr cases
Brazil — 6.31 lakh deaths, 2.63 crore cases
India — 5.01 lakh deaths, 4.21 crore cases
Russia — 3.27 lakh deaths, 1.23 crore cases
Mexico — 3.09 lakh deaths, 51.1 lakh cases
UK — 1.58 lakh deaths, 1.77 crore cases
Italy — 1.48 lakh deaths, 1.14 crore cases
Iran — 1.33 lakh deaths, 65.2 lakh cases
France — 1.29 lakh deaths, 1.99 crore cases
Argentina — 1.22 lakh deaths, 85.6 lakh cases.
