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.
A HuffPost Guide To Coronavirus
- How long does it take for the coronavirus vaccine to work?
- Which masks will actually keep your face warm this winter?
- Can you close your COVID “bubble” without losing friends forever?
- How will spending the holidays in quarantine affect our mental health?
- What happens to all those face masks and gloves we’re tossing in the trash?
- Find all that and more on our coronavirus hub page.