A new report by CNN states that there are more than 40,000 cases of COVID-19 — the novel coronavirus — in the United States. The outlet has tallied up the number of positive tests from all over the country and found the total to be 40,069 as of Monday morning. The new number comes as the country continues to scramble for more tests.
CNN Health counted all the positive coronavirus tests in the U.S., including all 50 states, Washington D.C. and other U.S. territories. The tally also included repatriated Americans who have tested positive. The result is a total of 40,069 known cases as of Monday morning. This figure follows another CNN report this weekend indicating that the U.S. has conducted about 170,000 coronavirus tests in total, according to the White House.
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“More than 300,000 cases of #COVID19 have now been reported to WHO, from almost every country in the 🌍.
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 23, 2020
The pandemic is accelerating.
It took 67 days from the 1st reported case to reach the first 100K cases, 11 days for the second 100K & just 4 days for the third 100K”-@DrTedros pic.twitter.com/XoBkVnWtLH
The count of U.S. cases came the morning after the World Health Organization confirmed that over 300,000 cases have been reported globally, meaning that the U.S. has well over 10 percent of all cases. The organization’s director, Tedros Ghebreyesus, warned that the “pandemic is accelerating.”
“It took 67 days from the 1st reported case to reach the first [100,000] cases, 11 days for the second [100,000 and] just 4 days for the third [100,000],” Ghebreyesus said.
Another dire warning on Monday came from the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams. He visited NBC News to say that this week will be particularly bad for new cases in the United States.
“I want America to understand — this week, it’s going to get bad,” he said. “This is how the spread is occurring. So we really, really need everyone to stay at home. I think that there are a lot of people who are doing the right things, but I think that unfortunately we’re finding out a lot of people think this can’t happen to them.”
Right now, experts say the most important step the average American can take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is social distancing — avoiding social gatherings and large crowds except when absolutely necessary. Doing so is meant to protect the population as a whole, not any particular individual, as it will slow the rate of new cases and ensure that the healthcare system is equipped to treat all the patients that come in.
Visit the CDC’s website for the latest information on the COVID-19 pandemic.
