U.S. Records 20 Million COVID-19 Cases As New Year Dawns

The country accounts for almost one-quarter of the total number of coronavirus cases worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
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A somber new milestone marked the new year in the U.S. ― as of Friday, the country recorded more than 20 million COVID-19 cases since the coronavirus pandemic began early last year.

The U.S. has about 4% of the world’s population but accounts for about 24% of the total number of coronavirus cases worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University data. It is the country with the highest number of cases by far. India has the second-highest tally, reporting a total of more than 10.2 million cases.

President-elect Joe Biden — who will take office on Jan. 20 — warned Americans last week to prepare themselves for the “darkest days” of the pandemic, which he said are still to come.

“One thing I promise you about my leadership during this crisis: I’m going to tell it to you straight. I’m going to tell you the truth. And here’s the simple truth: Our darkest days in the battle against COVID are ahead of us, not behind us,” Biden said.

The president-elect said Thursday that he intends to host a memorial service at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on the eve of his inauguration to honor the more than 345,000 Americans who have lost their lives to COVID-19.

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