Brazil 67,964 deaths, 1,713,160 cases
President Jair Bolsonaro dismissed the disease as a “little flu” as it swept across his country and mocked measures such as wearing masks. Two health ministers have resigned and the outbreak in Brazil is the second deadliest in the world.
India 21,129 deaths, 767,296 cases
India imposed a strict national blockade in March that slowed the spread of the virus but did not control it. As the country began to ease controls, cases increased and it now has the third highest number. Mortality rates are low, but it is unclear whether this reflects reporting problems or a relatively resistant population.
Iran 250,458 cases, 12,305 deaths
Iran had one of the first major outbreaks outside of China. A block slowed its spread, but after it was alleviated in April, cases recovered. Several senior officials tested positive and the government strengthened controls, including the mandatory use of masks in public places.
Israel 33,947 cases, 346 deaths
Israel had an early travel ban and strict blockades, and in April Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the country an example to the world in controlling Covid-19. But cases that dropped to just 20 a day in May skyrocketed after the country began to open up. Partial checks have been recovered with warnings that could follow.
Mexico 275,003 cases, 32,796 deaths
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador joined other populists from across the political spectrum to rule out the threat of the coronavirus; When schools closed in March, he shared a video of himself hugging fans and kissing a baby. The outbreak is now one of the worst on the continent.
Philippines 51,754 cases, 1,314 deaths
A tight lockdown from March to June kept the disease under control, but slashed the economy for the first time in 20 years. Cases have steadily increased since the country began to emerge from the running of the bulls, and President Rodrigo Duterte has said that the country cannot afford to reopen entirely because it would be overwhelmed by yet another peak.
Russia 706,179 cases, 10,825 deaths
The coronavirus was slow to arrive in Russia, and travel bans and a blockade initially delayed its spread, but controls were lifted twice for political reasons: a military parade and a referendum to allow Putin to remain in power longer. Despite having the fourth largest outbreak in the world, controls are now being reduced across the country.
Serbia 17,342 cases, 352 deaths
Cases are increasing rapidly, hospitals are full, and doctors are exhausted. But the government backed down on plans to regain blockade controls after two days of violent protests. Critics attribute the sharp rise in cases to authorities that allowed mass meetings in May and elections in June. Authorities say it is due to a lack of sanitary discipline, especially in nightclubs.
South Africa 224,664 cases, 3,602 deaths
South Africa is by far the largest outbreak on the African continent, despite one of the strictest blockades in the world. Sales of alcohol and cigarettes were even banned. But it began reopening in May, apparently fueling the recent surge in cases that have more than doubled in the past two weeks.
US 132,310 deaths, 3,055,491 cases
The US ban on foreign travelers came too late, and while most states had blockades in some form in the spring, they varied in duration and severity. Some places that were among the first to lift them are now battling fast-growing outbreaks, and the country has the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths. Opposition to blockades and the use of masks remains widespread.
Source: Johns Hopkins CSSE, July 9
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