The US surpassed a jarring milestone in the coronavirus pandemic: 100,000 deaths. More Americans have now died from the virus than from the Vietnam and Korea wars combined. "It is a grim milestone," said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington. "It's a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be.” Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 5.6 million people and killed over 350,000, with the US having the most confirmed cases and deaths by far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Europe has recorded about 170,000 deaths, while the US reached more than 100,000 in less than four months. At March-end, the United States eclipsed China with 3,500 deaths. Now, the US has not only the highest death total, but the highest number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the world, making up more than 30 per cent of the global total. Early on, President Donald Trump downplayed the severity of the coronavirus and called it no worse than the common flu. “I think we'll be substantially under that number,” Trump said on April 10. Ten days later, he said, “We're going toward 50- or 60,000 people.” Ten days after that: “We're probably heading to 60,000, 70,000.” Critics have said deaths spiked because Trump was slow to respond, but he has contended on Twitter that it could have been 20 times higher without his actions. He has urged states to reopen their economies after months of stay-at-home restrictions.

The US surpassed a jarring milestone in the coronavirus pandemic: 100,000 deaths. More Americans have now died from the virus than from the Vietnam and Korea wars combined. "It is a grim milestone," said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington. "It's a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be.” Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 5.6 million people and killed over 350,000, with the US having the most confirmed cases and deaths by far, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Europe has recorded about 170,000 deaths, while the US reached more than 100,000 in less than four months. At March-end, the United States eclipsed China with 3,500 deaths. Now, the US has not only the highest death total, but the highest number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the world, making up more than 30 per cent of the global total. Early on, President Donald Trump downplayed the severity of the coronavirus and called it no worse than the common flu. “I think we'll be substantially under that number,” Trump said on April 10. Ten days later, he said, “We're going toward 50- or 60,000 people.” Ten days after that: “We're probably heading to 60,000, 70,000.” Critics have said deaths spiked because Trump was slow to respond, but he has contended on Twitter that it could have been 20 times higher without his actions. He has urged states to reopen their economies after months of stay-at-home restrictions.