US deaths top 100k as daily fatalities again go past 1,000

WASHINGTON: The US on Wednesday surpassed the milestone of 100,000 Covid-19 deaths, according the Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus tracker, a situation that was thought not possible just a few months ago.

The US figure was a sobering reminder of the devastation being wreaked around the globe by a virus that only emerged late last year. Confirmed US deaths stood at 100,396 late on Wednesday, with nearly 1.7 million infections.

The 24-hour toll shot back up too after three days of sharp declines, to 1,401. It had fallen to under 700 daily deaths over the previous three days.

Nevertheless, most US states moved towards reopening restaurantsand businesses, cheered on by President Donald Trump, who is eager to see the economic pain of the crisis mitigated as he seeks re-election. The US capital Washington, DC will ease its lockdown from Friday.

Grim news came from across the Americas, as Brazil saw its death toll pass 25,000.

President Jair Bolsonaro is facing mounting criticism over his response to the health crisis.

The leader has downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic and railed against stay-at-home measures, arguing the economic fallout risks causing more damage than the virus itself.

“The so-called second wave is coming: recession. It will affect everyone, without exception,” he wrote on Facebook.

Peru meanwhile registered a record 6,154 new cases in a 24-hour period.

“Difficult days, difficult weeks are coming because people are going to get sick,” said Pilar Mazzetti, who is helping to coordinate Peru’s coronavirus response.

In Europe, Poland scrapped a rule calling for face masks in public, while Switzerland said it would drop its virus restrictions by June 6. In Moscow, shops will reopen and people will be allowed out for walks from June 1 as the Russian capital announced the easing of its lockdown.