Global Deaths Exceed Quarter Of A Million

Europe, Japan and Canada pledge funds for a vaccine to fight the coronavirus

The global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic topped a quarter of a million on Tuesday, with the US government predicting a further surge in fatalities as an international vaccine drive garnered $8 billion in pledges.

The dire forecast from the United States came as much of the Western world emerged from weeks of lockdown, with hopes that the disease may have peaked in Europe after nearly two months of confinement.

But the global progress did little to cool a war of words between the US and China — fueled by American claims the virus originated in a Chinese laboratory, a theory the World Health Organization (WHO) labelled ‘speculative.’ An AFP tally of official figures showed Europe is the hardest-hit continent with around 145,000 fatalities. The US has recorded close to 68,700. Together they account for more than 85 percent of global deaths.

Since the disease first surfaced in China late last year the number of confirmed cases has reached almost 3.6 million.

GLOBAL EFFORT

A special telethon backed by the WHO but snubbed by Washington pulled in $8.1 billion to support international efforts to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus.