Coronavirus pandemic hits grim milestone as global death toll reaches 800,000

The pandemic hit the milestone on Saturday
REUTERS
Imogen Braddick22 August 2020

The coronavirus pandemic hit a grim milestone on Saturday as the global death toll reached 800,000.

According to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University, the number of confirmed cases around the world also topped 23 million.

Officials believe the true numbers are far higher because of a lack of testing and reporting.

In the United States, the nation with the most infections, health officials believe there may be 10 times more cases than the confirmed 5.6 million.

The US also leads the world with the highest number of deaths, with more than 175,000.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown

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The news comes as South Korea, once considered a coronavirus success story, banned large gatherings, shut nightspots and churches and banned fans from professional sports to slow a viral resurgence.

Germany, which also initially slowed the virus, reported a four-month high of more than 2,000 cases on Saturday.

Schools in the country reopened two weeks ago, and at least 41 schools this week reported students or teachers were infected.

In the US, schools have begun to reopen, with coronavirus outbreaks triggering sudden closings, quarantines and anxiety among parents.