The United States reached another grim milestone on Sunday, approaching 5 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus – because deaths attributed to the virus amounted to 162,000.
Johns Hopkins University set the U.S. total at 4,998,105 on Sunday morning, while The New York Times claimed that its own database showed that the U.S. had already exceeded the 5 million mark.
The US continues to have the highest number of cases in the world, with Brazil and India in second and third place, The New York Times reported.
Brazil has now joined the US with more than 100,000 deaths from coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University.
On Saturday, President Trump signed four executive orders that included a $ 400-a-week additional unemployment benefit to Americans out of work – short of the $ 600 weekly benefit that expired at the end of July and Democrats wanted to extend – to a stalemate in Congress.
Trump also announced an extension of relief for student loans and protections against evictions for tenants and homeowners.
Chamber member Nancy Pelosi, D-Caliph., And Leader for Minorities for Senate Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., called Trump’s actions “weak.”
TRUMP ORDERS $ 400-PER-WEEK WORK EXPOSURE AMID COVID CRISIS, HIT DEMS FOR STONEWALLING
“Today’s meager statements by President Trump do not yet make President Trump understand the seriousness or urgency of the health and economic crisis that working families have,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement Saturday. “We are disappointed that instead of embarking on the problem of solving American problems, the President chose instead to stay on his luxury golf course to announce unworkable, weak and narrow policy notes to reduce the unemployment benefits that millions desperately need. are and seniors ‘endanger Social Security and Medicare.’
Cases stood in seven states, including Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, which had the sharpest peak in proportion to population, the Times reported.
California, Florida and Texas have the highest total number of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The U.S. reported 4 million cases just over two weeks earlier, on July 23, The Times reported.
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Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation’s expert on infectious disease, said this month that drug manufacturers are likely to have tens of millions of vaccine doses ready by early next year and at least 1 billion by the end of 2021, but caution the vaccine is likely to be far from 100 % effective.
Fox News’ Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.
