US Surpasses 200,000 COVID-19 Deaths

According to Johns Hopkins University data, the United States has reached another tragic landmark, with more than 200,000 deaths due to COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus in March. 

While White House coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday the grim landmark was "very sobering, and in some respects, stunning," U.S. President Donald Trump remarked that the toll would have been higher if not for his actions. 

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Many public health experts, however, believe the virus would be under control and the death toll significantly lower had the Trump administration taking a firmer grip on quickly containing it earlier in 2020. "It is completely unfathomable that we've reached this point," said Johns Hopkins public health researcher Jennifer Nuzzo, noting the colossal death toll despite being the world's richest nation, with state-of-the-art laboratories, top-flight scientists, and stockpiles of medical supplies.

The death toll is equivalent to the entire population of Salt Lake City, Utah, or Birmingham, Alabama. It also equals the death toll of the September 11 attacks, nearly 3,000 people, happening every day for 67 days straight.

Averaging about 770 daily deaths in the U.S., the University of Washington predicts the toll to double to 400,000 by the end of December, with schools and universities reopening as well as the cold weather sets in. 

The states with the highest amount of cases are California, Florida, and Texas, although New York and New Jersey, hit hard by the virus during the spring, still have the highest number of gross deaths— 25,428 and 16,069, respectively. The nation's total amount of cases nears 7 million, likely to surpass that mark by the end of the week. 

Trump, who has been widely criticized for his handling of the pandemic, refused to wear a mask until July 11, continues to hold sizeable indoor campaign rallies despite public health warnings, and reportedly knew how deadly the virus was as early as February 7, insisted on  "playing it down" to avoid general panic. 

Telling a Senate panel that it could be over a year before a COVID-19 vaccine becomes generally available to the American public, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Robert Redfield said that face masks are "the most important, powerful public health tool we have" to combat the virus.