World Sets Daily Record For New Coronavirus Cases, WHO Says

TOPLINE

The world set a single-day record for new cases of the coronavirus, the World Health Organization said Sunday—more than six months into a pandemic the top official there warns is “accelerating”—reporting over 183,000 cases in a 24-hour period, and more than 4,700 deaths.

KEY FACTS

KEY BACKGROUND

Over two-thirds of the new deaths were reported in the Americas Sunday, as the U.S. and Brazil—the third and sixth-largest nations by population, are recording a spike in cases. Cases are also on the rise in Southern Asia and the Middle East, according to the WHO.

CRITICAL QUOTE

“Many people are understandably fed up with being at home. Countries are understandably eager to open up their societies and economies. But the virus is still spreading fast. It is still deadly and most people are still susceptible,” Ghebreyesus said Friday.

BIG NUMBER

8,708,008 — That’s how many people worldwide are confirmed to have had coronavirus, according to the WHO, and 461,715 of them have died.

TANGENT

President Donald Trump recently announced the U.S. would be ending its relationship with the WHO, which on several occasions failed to challenge information coming from the Chinese government that claimed the virus was contained. The U.S. had been the single largest funder of the WHO.

FURTHER READING

After Record Number Of New Daily Coronavirus Cases, WHO Warns Of ‘New And Dangerous’ Phase (Forbes)

Trump announces end of US relationship with World Health Organization (CNN)