US surpasses 140,000 Covid-19 deaths as outbreak escalates

US deaths from Covid-19 surpassed the 140,000 mark yesterday as cases have continued to rise in 43 of the 50 states over the past 2 weeks. As of today the tally stands at 142,877. Since late June the US has seen a resurgence in new cases and now, 6 weeks later, deaths are also on the rise, according to a weekly Reuters analysis.

The US is losing about 5,000 people per week to the virus; in a single week, the nation records about as many deaths as the 5,600 lives Sweden has lost since the pandemic began earlier this year. In contrast, neighbouring Canada has reported a total of 8,800 deaths due to the virus.

In the hardest-hit US counties, officials are running out of places to store bodies as morgues fill up.

Authorities in Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to the state’s capitol and largest city, Phoenix, say they’re bringing in 14 coolers to hold up to 280 bodies and more than double morgue capacity ahead of an expected surge in fatalities.

In Texas, the city of San Antonio and Bexar County have acquired 5 refrigerated trailer trucks to store up to 180 bodies.

The appearance of such mobile morgues has created a sense in some Southern states that the pandemic is spinning out of control.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World