US coronavirus deaths pass 600,000 as New York lifts more curbs

President Joe Biden said that while the daily death toll is dropping sharply, ‘we have more work to do to beat this virus’

Progress against the coronavirus was underlined as New York said over 70 per cent of adults had received at least one vaccine dose

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People look at the “Naming the Lost Memorials” installation to remember the lives lost due to the coronavirus pandemic, at a cemetery in New York. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:49am, 16 Jun 2021Updated: 3:07am, 16 Jun 2021

The US death toll from Covid-19 surpassed 600,000 on Tuesday, although authorities hailed progress towards a return to normality as its vaccination programme promised to turn the page on one of the worst health crises in its history.

The United States has racked up by far the largest national death toll – ahead of Brazil and India – after a heavily-criticised early response to the pandemic, but has since organised among the world’s most effective vaccine roll-outs.

“There’s still too many lives being lost,” President Joe Biden said, noting that despite the daily number of dead dropping sharply, the continuing loss of life was still “a real tragedy”.

“My heart goes out to all those who have lost a loved one,” he said, speaking on Monday in Brussels as the Johns Hopkins University tally ticked close to 600,000. “We have more work to do to beat this virus. And now’s not the time to let our guard down. Please get vaccinated as soon as possible.”

Progress against the coronavirus was underlined as New York announced more than 70 per cent of adults had received at least one vaccine dose and the last of the state’s restrictions could be lifted.