Global cases exceed 15 millions
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Almost a quarter of Delhi has had coronavirus: study
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Trump willing to work with China on vaccine for US
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Pompeo says WHO's handling of pandemic led to 'dead Britons'
Global coronavirus infections surged past 15 million yesterday, with the pandemic gathering pace even as countries remain divided in their response to the crisis.
The top five countries with the most cases is rounded out by Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa. But, a Reuters tally shows the disease is accelerating the fastest in the Americas, which account for more than half the world's infections and half its deaths.
The death toll in the US has spiked again with Donald Trump conceding the pandemic crisis will get worse, as record infections in Australia underscored second-wave dilemmas globally.
With authorities reporting Tuesday the highest daily nationwide death toll in weeks of nearly 1,000, Trump adopted a newly serious tone.
"It will probably, unfortunately get worse before it gets better," the president told reporters during his first formal pandemic briefing for nearly three months.
Despites an escalating row with China, U Trump expressed a willingness on Tuesday to work with Being to bring a successful coronavirus vaccine to the United States.
"We're willing to work with anybody that is going to get us a good result," Trump said, when asked if the administration would collaborate with China on a vaccine for Americans, whether China is first to develop one or not.
Trump has long blamed China for mishandling the deadly coronavirus pandemic, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and charged across the United States, killing more than 140,000 Americans and raising the stakes for a quick and viable vaccine.
Other nations, which had eased crippling lockdowns after the virus had appeared to fade, are struggling to combat second waves.
Australia yesterday reported more than 500 infections in a day, posting a record high nearly four months after cases appeared to have peaked.
In Melbourne, Australia's second-biggest city where most of the new infections have occurred, wearing face masks will be mandatory from today.
Second wave fears were also growing in Japan's capital, with hundreds of new cases reported each day over the past week, promoting authorities to urge people to stay home during an upcoming national holiday. Hong Kong reported 113 new infections yesterday, a new daily record as a sudden surge in cases shows no signs of slowing despite ramped up social distancing rules.
Countries with fragile health systems have yet to enjoy even a brief reprieve from the virus, with Mexico on Tuesday passing 40,000 deaths -- the pandemic's fourth-highest national toll.
Fresh data from a study in India also suggested that the virus was spreading much further than charted, and that official figures were far lower than reality. The study said nearly one quarter of the population in New Delhi, India's capital, had contracted the virus. This would equate to roughly five million infections in New Delhi versus the official data showing 125,000 confirmed cases.
The pandemic has killed more than 617,000 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year.
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