Health and Healthcare

Bing COVID-19 Tracker Report 5/20/2020 (6:39 AM): Global Cases Near 5 Million

24/7 Wall St. Staff

Published: May 20, 2020 6:39 am

According to the Bing COVID-19 Tracker, the number of global cases has reached 4,897,567 and could top 5 million within two days. Active cases hit 2,885,651, which is 92,137 higher than yesterday, as well as 59% of the total of confirmed cases worldwide. Recovered cases rose to 1,688,630, and fatal cases hit 323,286, a one-day gain 4,732. They are now 6.6% of the world’s confirmed case total.

Total COVID-19 confirmed cases in the United States have hit 1,558,631, which is 32% of the world’s total. The active cases increased by 12,490 to 1,169,220, and recovered cases hit 297,153, higher by 8,311. Active case growth is about 50% higher than that of recovered cases.

Fatal cases in America hit 92,258, a gain of 1,564 in a day. They are 29% of the world’s total fatalities and 6% of U.S. confirmed cases. At the current rate of growth, U.S. COVID-19 deaths could reach 100,000 by the end of the month or the first few days in June. Some experts say that because of uncounted cases, the figure is already above that.

Still Five States With Fewer Than 1,000 Cases

There are still five states with fewer than 1,000 confirmed cases. They do not all share characteristics, based either on square mileage or demographics.

Alaska has 399 confirmed cases and 10 deaths. The state covers 665,384 square miles, which puts it first among states in that category. Next is Montana, with 471 cases and 16 deaths. It ranks fourth in square miles at 147,039.

Hawaii ranks third lowest in confirmed cases at 641 with 17 deaths. It ranks 43rd in square miles covered at 10,931. Wyoming has 776 confirmed cases and 10 deaths. At 97,813, it ranks 10th in square mileage.

And Vermont has 944 confirmed cases and 54 deaths. The state ranks 45th in square mileage at 9,616.

Median income among the states is widely spread. Hawaii is fourth among states based on median household income at $80,212. Alaska ranks ninth at $74,346 and Vermont ranks 23rd at $60,782, while Wyoming ranks 21st at $61,584. Montana ranks 39th at $55,328.

There is no compelling reason for the difference among these states based on either size or income.

Russian Cases Top 300,000

Russia has risen into second place among all nations based on confirmed cases at 308,705. It trails only the United States, which has 1,558,631 confirmed cases.

Reported COVID-19 deaths in Russia reached 2,972, up by 135 since yesterday. Its ratio of deaths to cases remains low among the countries with the highest number of cases. For example, Spain ranks third among the nations based on confirmed cases at 278,188, and it has 27,778 deaths.

One reason the Russia death count is low is that it is wrong. CNN reported that some people who have died of COVID-19 outside hospitals are not counted. In some cases, this is because patients cannot get into crowded hospitals at all.