US adds almost 700 new coronavirus deaths in 24 hours

[WASHINGTON] The coronavirus pandemic killed 691 people in the United States over the past 24 hours, the lowest number in a week, figures from Johns Hopkins University showed on Sunday.

There have been a total of 110,482 deaths in the country and 1,938,842 cases, the Baltimore-based institutions' real-time tracker reported at 8:30 pm (0030 GMT Sunday).

Both the number of cases and death toll are by far the highest in the world.

On a per capita basis, however, several European countries - including France, Italy and Spain - have a higher death toll.

While the United States was suffering around 3,000 deaths a day in mid-April, that number has declined to around 1,000 deaths and 20,000 new cases a day at present.

But health care professionals worry mass demonstrations against police brutality and racism taking place in cities across the US may lead to a new surge in infections in the coming weeks.

AFP