The United States has passed over one million deaths from COVID-19, a record number.
1 million COVID deaths is the highest official total in the world as the US has also recorded more than 80 million Covid cases, out of a 330 million population.
The first confirmed case of covid was reported on 20 January 2020, when a 35 year old man flew to the US from Wuhan in China.
He survived, after 10 days of pneumonia, coughs, fever, nausea and vomiting by which thousands of Americans had already gotten the disease.
Speaking on Thursday, May 12, US President Joe Biden said the country was marking “a tragic milestone” and each death was “an irreplaceable loss”.
“One million Covid deaths, one million empty chairs around the family dinner table, each irreplaceable losses,” Biden said.
“Our heart goes out to all those who are struggling, asking themselves, how do we go on without him, how do we go on without her?”
The president ordered the White House flags to be lowered to half mast to mark the milestone.
The first wave of the initial pandemic – saw death rates of more than 2,500 daily
Of the 50 US states, the highest death toll has been reported in California, where about 90,000 people have died.
US Center for Disease Control (CDC)data shows the vast majority of Covid deaths in the US – about 740,000 – have been among those older than 65.
