Virus deaths top 600,000 as many countries continue to strugglet

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/07/18/892677119/world-sets-daily-record-in-new-coronavirus-cases

Virus deaths top 600,000 and Hong Kong warns of resurgence JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The number of people around the world who have died as a result of the coronavirus has passed the 600,000 mark as countries from the U.S. to South Africa to India struggle to... AP NEWS

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The number of people around the world who have died as a result of the coronavirus has passed the 600,000 mark as countries from the U.S. to South Africa to India struggle to contain infections. Hong Kong also warned of a resurgence in the virus as it issued tougher new rules on the wearing of face masks.

Concerns are rising that the pandemic has found fresh legs over the past few weeks, with Johns Hopkins University and the World Health Organization both recording daily highs in newly reported infections...

While the U.S. leads global infections, South Africa now ranks as the fifth worst-hit country in the pandemic with more than 350,000 cases, or around half of all those confirmed on the continent. Its struggles are a sign of potential trouble to come for nations with even fewer health care resources.

India, which has now confirmed more than a million infections, on Sunday reported a 24-hour record surge of 38,902 new cases.

In Europe, where infections are far from their peak in the spring but local outbreaks are causing concern, leaders of the 27-nation European Union haggled for a third day in Brussels over a proposed 1.85 trillion-euro ($2.1 trillion) EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund....

Confirmed global deaths from or with COVID-19 rose to more than 602,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins. The United States tops the list with over 140,000, followed by more than 78,000 in Brazil, 45,000 in the United Kingdom and 38,000 in Mexico.

The number of confirmed infections worldwide has passed 14.2 million, with 3.7 million accounted for by the United States alone. Brazil has witnessed more than 2 million while India has recorded over 1 million. Experts believe the true numbers around the world are higher because of testing shortages and data collection issues in some nations.