The World Health Organization (WHO) reported the largest single-day increase of coronavirus cases on Sunday, June 21, with 183,0020 new cases reported in just 24 hours—the majority of which were identified in the Americas. The largest portion of new cases was reported by Brazil (54,771,) followed by the United States (36,617), and India (15,413). The global total number of cases has just surpassed nine million, according to Reuters. While the U.S. has seen a shift in the demographics and regions most affected by the coronavirus, the country as a whole is seeing a rise in new cases. However, according to The New York Times, overall deaths from coronavirus have dropped by over 40 percent. While Brazil’s most recent one-day death toll was over a thousand, the U.S. reported less than 600 for the same 24-hour period. According to CNN, “Many experts believe the number of cases [in Brazil] could surpass the United States and that Brazil may soon become the country worst hit by the virus.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. So what’s driving this global spike in new coronavirus cases? In a recent press briefing, WHO’s executive director of health emergencies, Mike Ryan, said, “Certainly the numbers are increasing because the epidemic is developing in a number of populous countries at the same time and across the whole world.” While Ryan acknowledges that some of the increase can be attributed to increased testing—especially in India—he does “not believe that this is a testing phenomenon.” Ryan said the U.S. and Brazil both should be monitored closely in the coming days to see if the spike becomes a trend. And for some positive news about the pandemic, check out There’s One Bit of Good News Amid All These Spiking Coronavirus Numbers.
