100,000 deaths in US as cases rise in India and S Korea

THE DEATH toll from coronavirus has risen above 100,000 in the US, while there were also record numbers getting sick in India and worrying signs of a resurgence in South Korea.

The once-unthinkable milestone in the US means more Americans have died with the virus than were killed in the Vietnam and Korean wars combined.

“It’s a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be,” said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington.

India, home to more than 1.3 billion people, reported more than 6,500 new infections on Thursday as cases continued to rapidly rise. The surge comes as the nation’s two-month-old lockdown is set to end on Sunday.

South Korea reported 79 new cases, its biggest daily jump in more than 50 days, and a big setback for a nation that has been held up as a model for containment. South Korean health officials warned the resurgence is getting harder to track and social distancing and other steps need to be taken.

Most new cases were from the Seoul metropolitan area, where about half of the nation’s 51 million people live.

Some countries are seeing improvements. New cases in Spain and Italy have fallen steadily for two months, China reported just two new cases yesterday, both from abroad, and New Zealand has reported no new infections for six days and has just eight active cases.

But the situation in many countries underscores the difficulty in reopening economies.

In the US, Las Vegas casinos and Walt Disney World have made plans to reopen, and crowds of unmasked Americans are expected to swarm beaches over the summer months. Public health officials predict a resurgence by the autumn. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, issued a stern warning after watching video of Memorial Day crowds gathered at a pool party in Missouri.

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.