US coronavirus death toll passes 50,000

WASHINGTON: The United States has surpassed the grim milestone of 50,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, in what is considered as the world’s deadliest Covid-19 outbreak.

More than 3,000 deaths came in the last 24 hours, and there are now over 870,000 confirmed cases nationwide. The US still has a lower mortality rate than most European nations based on current case counts, as the White House task force has emphasised.

The grim news comes as parts of the US reopen after weeks of lockdown. Some hair salons, bowling alleys, tattoo parlours and other businesses started opening on Friday in the states of Georgia, Alaska and Oklahoma.

President Donald Trump warned that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp may be moving too fast. “Spas, beauty salons, tattoo parlors, & barber shops should take a little slower path,” Trump tweeted.

The US has by far the highest death toll and case count in the world much higher than other worst-affected countries such as Spain and Italy. Recent steep rises in the daily US death toll are also partly due to the inclusion of probable virus deaths.

The US Centers for Disease Control said their case counts would include both confirmed and probable cases and deaths. A probable Covid-19 death is one that meets clinical and epidemiological criteria but has not been confirmed by testing.

Vice President Mike Pence said the US has conducted 4.9 million tests thus far, and is working with governors to expand testing. The US Congress passed a $484 billion economic stimulus bill that includes funding for testing expansion. This is the fourth Covid-19 relief package passed by Washington, and also allocates funds towards hospitals and a small business loan programme.

President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on Friday, saying he wanted to “rush economic relief to our citizens”. The president is also facing backlash after he suggested injecting disinfectants as a potential coronavirus treatment.