Coronavirus infections top 10 million globally

More than 10 million people across the globe have now been infected with the novel coronavirus, according to a Johns Hopkins University database. 

The global tally surpassed the 10 million mark on Sunday as countries such as the U.S. experience another surge in confirmed cases. COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has also caused more than 499,000 deaths worldwide.  

The virus is believed to have first appeared in Wuhan, China, last December before rapidly spreading across the globe. The outbreak led dozens of countries to impose strict lockdowns as part of an effort to curb the spread of the disease. 

While many have eased social distancing restrictions in the intervening months, health officials have stressed that the virus still poses significant health threats. The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this month warned that the pandemic was “accelerating” after reporting more than 150,000 new cases of COVID-19 in a single day on June 18. 

“The world is in a new a dangerous phase,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “The virus is still spreading fast, it is still deadly and most people are still susceptible. We call on all countries and all people to exercise extreme vigilance.”

As of Sunday, the U.S. had reported more than 2.5 million cases of COVID-19 and approximately 125,000 deaths from it. Parts of the U.S. have experienced a marked increase in cases in recent weeks, causing Florida and Texas to pause reopening plans and close bars again. 

President Trump and other top administration officials have contended that the jump in cases is linked to increased testing, though health experts such as Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and a key member of the White House coronavirus task force, have disputed the contention. 

The U.S. reported a record 40,000 new cases of the virus in a single day on Friday, the same day that Vice President Pence briefed reporters about the U.S. response to the pandemic. Pence acknowledged that there are 16 states with rising cases and rising percentages of total tests that are positive.

Outside of the U.S., Brazil (1.3 million) Russia (633,000) and India (528,000) have reported the highest number of cases. India and Brazil are reporting about 10,000 new cases a day, according to Reuters.