Coronavirus: US surpasses China for most cases as G20 injects US$5 trillion into global economy
- ‘We are waging war on this virus using every financial, scientific, medical, pharmaceutical and military resource,” Trump says.
- Leaders commit during videoconference summit to implement and fund all necessary health measures needed to stop spread of outbreak
The United States on Thursday took the grim title of the country with the most coronavirus infections and reported a record surge in unemployment as world leaders vowed US$5 trillion to stave off global economic collapse.
More than 500,000 people around the world have now contracted the new coronavirus, overwhelming healthcare systems even in wealthy nations and triggering an avalanche of government-ordered lockdowns that have disrupted life for billions.
In the United States, more than 83,000 people have tested positive for Covid-19, edging out Italy, which has reported the most deaths, and China, where the virus was first detected in December in the city of Wuhan.
The US has recorded 1,178 deaths, while the global death toll stood at 23,293.
“We are waging war on this virus using every financial, scientific, medical, pharmaceutical and military resource, to halt its spread and protect our citizens,” US President Donald Trump said.
With about 40 per cent of Americans under lockdown orders, Trump urged citizens to do their part by practising social distancing: “Stay home. Just relax, stay home.”