USA hits 4 million cases of COVID-19: A look at the milestones and setbacks

The USA hit the latest bleak milestone Thursday in the historic pandemic: 4 million confirmed cases of infections.

Experts agree the number of cases is actually much greater – potentially 10 times higher than what’s been reported, according to federal data.

More than 143,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the USA, which leads the world for most cases and deaths.

“We are still knee-deep in the first wave of this,” Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said in a Facebook Live interview July 6. “And I would say, this would not be considered a wave. It was a surge or a resurgence of infections superimposed upon a baseline.”

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USA TODAY has tracked the nation’s successes, setbacks and major news since the first case was confirmed in January in Washington state. Below, we break down the milestones in case and death counts:

July 23: USA reaches 4 million cases

The USA surpassed 4 million infections Thursday, doubling its total case count in a little more than a month. The death toll approached 144,000.

Though there’s more COVID-19 testing than ever, it’s created a bottleneck for labs and states bidding against each other for limited supplies. Experts said many tests become irrelevant after delayed results and increase the chance of the virus’s spread.

June 11: USA confirms 2 million cases

In early June, cases reached 2 million, 45 days after confirmed infections surpassed 1 million.

More than a dozen states and Puerto Rico saw cases spike at a faster rate in summer months. Experts said the unexpected uptick in cases could be due to lifting restrictions, isolated outbreaks and the virus catching up to communities that had not been affected.

May 27: US death toll passes 100,000

On May 13, data compiled by Johns Hopkins University showed the national curve flattening. Starting May 18, several states began to lift their restrictions, then Memorial Day saw more travel, busy beaches and pool parties.

The result: Deaths from the coronavirus surpassed 100,000.

According to polls, half of Americans said they were unsure they would get a vaccine.

April 28: 1 million cases, more than 50,000 dead

Over the course of four months, the USA reached 1 million cases and more than 50,000 deaths. Experts cautioned the number of cases was probably much higher because not all people infected by the coronavirus were tested.

“The million (cases) is clearly way under what the actual number will be because of all the issues of testing and all the people with mild symptoms that haven’t been tested,” said Dr. Steven Corwin, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

John Hopkins University tracking found the USA had the 33rd-highest mortality rate out of the 134 countries.

April 1: 200,000 confirmed cases

For the first time, 1,000 people died in a single day, bringing the national death tollabove 5,000, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Two days later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed its guidance advising Americans to not wear face masks to save them for medical professionals. President Donald Trump said the new guidance to wear face masks was voluntary: “I don’t think I’m going to be doing it,” he said. The mask guidance came as research revealed that asymptotic people spread the disease without knowing they had it.

Unemployment rates hit record highs at the end of March and early April.

March 26: USA leads world with 100,000 cases

A day after the USA became the world’s most-infected nation, the nation passed 100,000 cases and had more than 1,000 deaths.

Trump signed the largest relief package in U.S. history, promising $1,200 checks to eligible Americans and additional amounts for families. The package included hundreds of billions of dollars of support for companies to keep a payroll during the pandemic.

Trump announced a ban on travelers from Europe, and U.S. cases jumped from 100 to more than 1,000 in eight days.

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. “We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: all countries can still change the course of this pandemic,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said in a statement.

Jan. 21: First-known US case

The first case of COVID-19 in the USA was reported Jan. 21 soon after the CDC began implementing health screenings in airports. China had 548 confirmed cases, and South Korea had one. A few weeks later, two people died, on Feb. 6 and 17, and tests done in April determined they were positive for the coronavirus.

Contributing: Grace Hauck, Adrianna Rodriguez, Jayne O’Donnell and Ken Alltucker

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USA hits 4 million cases of COVID-19: A look at the milestones and setbacks

by Pineda, USA TODAY