Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

COVID-19 death toll in US climbs past WWII casualties

by French Press Agency - AFP

WASHINGTON Jan 21, 2021 - 1:38 pm GMT+3
A shopper wearing a personal protective suit, mask and face shield shops for bananas at a Whole Foods Market during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Pasadena, California, Jan. 20, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
A shopper wearing a personal protective suit, mask and face shield shops for bananas at a Whole Foods Market during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Pasadena, California, Jan. 20, 2021. (Reuters Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP Jan 21, 2021 1:38 pm
RECOMMENDED
This handout photo from Chase Doak shows a suspected Chinese spy balloon in the sky, Billings, US., Feb. 2, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Suspected Chinese spy balloon under US' Pentagon close monitoring

US-China-tensions

America's coronavirus death toll took a drastic turn for the worse this week as its number of fatalities surpassed the country's troop losses in World War II. New U.S. President Joe Biden is warning that the nation enters "what may well be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus.”

Coronavirus cases have surged past 96 million worldwide, fueled by the emergence of new variants including one that was first detected in Britain that has now spread to more than 60 nations, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday.

The United States remains the worst-hit country, with around a fifth of the 2 million global COVID-19 deaths, and Biden has made the fight against the pandemic his administration's top priority.

"We need all our strength to persevere through this dark winter. We're entering what may be the toughest and deadliest period of the virus," Biden said at his inauguration, where those in attendance wore face masks and social distancing was enforced.

A Johns Hopkins University tracker on Wednesday showed that 405,400 people have died from the disease, more than the 405,399 total U.S. combat and non-combat deaths in World War II.

Among the Biden administration's targets is the inoculation of 100 million Americans in 100 days, hoping to revive a vaccine rollout that had floundered in the last weeks of the Trump presidency.

E-commerce titan Amazon on Wednesday offered its vast logistics infrastructure to help with that effort. Biden's point-man for fighting the pandemic, Jeff Zients, said America would also rejoin the WHO, reversing his predecessor's decision. He added that top U.S. expert Anthony Fauci would lead a delegation to the WHO executive board meeting on Thursday.

The announcement came as the WHO confirmed that the virus variant first detected in Britain had spread to more than 60 countries, while one that emerged in South Africa has made it to 23.

The South African variant is more contagious than earlier ones, experts have warned. Both have tempered optimism that mass vaccination will help to end unpopular restrictions such as shutdowns that have wrecked economies around the world.

There was some good news, however, with early results from two studies on the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine showing it is effective against the British variant, which is fuelling a surge that has overwhelmed U.K. hospitals.

"When you go into a hospital ... in some cases it looks like a war zone," the British government's chief scientist, Patrick Vallance, told Sky News. Britain is mounting a massive vaccination drive that has involved the repurposing of all kinds of large buildings including Salisbury Cathedral, where thousands of elderly people are receiving shots.

Two musicians worked in shifts throughout the day on its 19th-century organ, playing soothing pieces by composers including Bach and Dvorak. "It's quite a scary thing to be going through. The thought of the disease and what it can do to families and people," said Jeanie Grant, who had brought her 98-year-old father to the cathedral for his shot. "(So) to actually come to a building that has seen so much history and is still serving a beautiful purpose for the community, I think it's very special."

There are concerns, however, that rich nations are hogging doses. Of the 50 nations that have started vaccination campaigns, 40 are high-income, according to WHO assistant director-general Mariangela Simao, who also said efforts were underway to ensure access for all.

"No one needs to panic, because you're going to get a vaccine," she said. The WHO co-led COVAX facility, a globally-pooled vaccine procurement and distribution effort, has struck agreements with five manufacturers for 2 billion doses.

Interestingly, the urgency to be vaccinated wasn't being felt everywhere.

The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan plans to vaccinate its entire population, but not until after March 13 because the period before has been deemed "inauspicious". The shots will start after that, the prime minister's office said, adding that it was "important we roll out the nationwide vaccination on an auspicious date."

RECOMMENDED
This handout photo from Chase Doak shows a suspected Chinese spy balloon in the sky, Billings, US., Feb. 2, 2023. (AFP Photo)

Suspected Chinese spy balloon under US' Pentagon close monitoring

US-China-tensions
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jan 21, 2021 3:00 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    covid-19 outbreak coronavirus joe biden world health organization united states
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Greek naval forces conducted routine patrol missions around the Mediterranean island of Kastellorizo, one of the easternmost islands in Greece, which is just 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the southern coast of Kaş, Türkiye, Dec. 30, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye will not stand by as Greece threatens security: Erdoğan

    türkiye-greece-relations
    Far-right extremist Rasmus Paludan rants before burning the Quran, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo)

    Norway cancels Quran burning after reaction from Türkiye

    QURAN-BURNING

    'Time to fly': Türkiye unveils domestic light attack jet

    HÜRJET

    Türkiye summons envoys of 9 countries to express dismay over closure

    TURKIYE-EUROPE-RELATIONS
    No Image
    The world on fire, literally and figuratively: A look back at 2021
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021