US COVID-19 deaths almost at par with the number of Americans killed in World War II

A man wearing a face mask walks on the street, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in New York. The city will run out of first doses of COVID-19 vaccine sometime Thursday without fresh supplies, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

A man wearing a mask walks on the street, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021 in New York. Source: AP

An independent review panel says that the COVID-19 pandemic could be the catalyst for much-needed reform of the World Health Organization (WHO). The pandemic has shown that the WHO's 194 member states must act swiftly to reform the Geneva-based agency, boost its funding, and give it powers to enforce international health regulations.


The United States' death toll from the coronavirus has eclipsed 400,000, nearly equal to the number of Americans killed in World War II. And it's just short of the estimated 409,000 Americans who died in 2019 of strokes, Alzheimer's, diabetes, flu and pneumonia combined.

The European Commission has recommended vaccinating against COVID-19 at least 70 per cent of the European Union's adult population by this summer, in an attempt to curb the coronavirus pandemic. 

Health authorities at the Pan American Health Organization say half of all 94 million worldwide COVID-19 cases - that's 41 million  - are in the Americas.

After a sluggish start, New York has increased its vaccination effort by opening new sites, including 24-hour vaccine hubs, around the city and City may run out of COVID-19 vaccine doses without fresh supplies. 

To hear the full report click on the audio link above.

People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Find out what restrictions are in place for your state or territory.

Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.

SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at http://www.sbs.com.au/coronavirus

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