WHO warns countries on ‘dangerous track’, as researchers say US covid-19 death toll may exceed 500,000

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the northern hemisphere is facing a crucial moment in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic with too many countries witnessing an exponential increase in virus cases.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued the warning on Friday during a news conference after the number of Covid-19 cases more than doubled in 10 days across Europe, with several southern European countries reporting their highest daily case numbers this week.

“We are at a critical juncture in the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere.

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“The next few months are going to be very tough and some countries are on a dangerous track,” Tedros said.

Meanwhile, researchers says the death toll from COVID-19 in the United States could exceed 500,000 by February unless nearly all Americans wear face masks, as the country set a new single-day record for new cases.

Some 84,218 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 across the United States on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, breaking the single-day record of 77,299 that was set on July 16. Only India has reported more cases in a single day: 97,894, on September 17.

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