Health and Healthcare

Bing COVID-19 Tracker 6/12/2020 (6:44 AM): Texas Trouble, Russia's Incorrect Numbers

24/7 Wall St. Staff

Published: June 12, 2020 6:43 am

According to the Bing COVID-19 Tracker, the number of global cases has reached 7,502,278. Active cases increased by 59,325 to 3,548,556, and they are 49% of the total of confirmed cases worldwide. Recovered cases number 3,532,690, up 77,883 since yesterday. Recovered cases finally have caught up active cases worldwide, although this is mostly due to improving situations in the United States, the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.

Global fatal cases have hit 421,032, which is a 4,831 one-day gain. The increase in deaths was about the same as the day before, and they are now 6% of the world’s confirmed cases total.

The total of confirmed cases in the United States has hit 2,064,029. That is 28% of the world’s total. Active COVID-19 cases in America reached 1,328,537, higher by 8,769, while recovered cases added 13,196 to total 620,015. The fact that the improvement in recovered cases topped that of active cases was largely good news, although it is likely due to improving conditions in New York State, while the situations in several states, led by Florida and Texas, have worsened.

American fatalities reached 115,477, up 885 in a day. The number of deaths per day has been below 1,000 for most of the past week. U.S. deaths are 28% of the world’s total. Ashish Jha, the head of Harvard’s Global Health Institute, told CNN that deaths could reach 200,000 sometime in September. This was based primarily on the fact that state governments were reopening faster than is advisable.

The Deep Concern About Texas Backed Up by Numbers

Media reports and comments by Texas officials show deep enough anxiety that part of the state many go back into lockdown. The state, however, still has a modest number of confirmed cases relative to its population. Texas is the second-largest state by population, at 28,995,881, or 8.7% of the nation’s total. Its confirmed cases count has hit 81,583, ranking it behind New York State, New Jersey, California, Illinois and Massachusetts.

However, Texas is catching up to the hardest-hit states. Active cases reached 27,214, a one-day rise of 1,791. COVID-19 deaths are at 1,920, higher by 35. New York, the hardest-hit state, had an increase of 38 yesterday.

Harris County, the third-largest county in the U.S. by population, at 4,698,619, reports 24,818 confirmed cases. Active cases increased by 9,482 to 24,458. Deaths number 360, up by 98. A high-level official in Harris County said it was close to the “precipice of disaster.”

Russia’s Numbers Still Low?

Russia’s true numbers are considered to be much higher than the figures the government posts. Its confirmed cases count stands at 511,423, while active cases number 235,338, a rise of only 584. Deaths rose by an even more modest amount to an extremely modest number. They were up 183 to 6,751. That is less than the total in Massachusetts.

While the government says its figures are accurate, some experts on the spread of the disease believe they are improbable.