Vakkas Dogantekin
June 11, 2020•Update: June 11, 2020
ANKARA
Amid nationwide anti-racism protests and state reopenings from measures put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, the US COVID-19 cases topped 2 million, according to data compiled by the Maryland-based Johns Hopkins University.
The country has so far registered 2,000,464 coronavirus infections including nearly 113,000 deaths and more than 533,000 recoveries.
Millions of Americans are filling the streets of US cities amid nationwide Black Lives Matters protests after the brutal killing of unarmed black man George Floyd while in the custody of a white police officer over two weeks ago.
As of May 20, each state that had imposed a stay-at-home order or shelter had begun lifting restrictions on businesses and public spaces.
The American continent continues to be a hotspot for the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when it is slowing down in most other parts of the world.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has warned that June would be a crucial month for the coronavirus pandemic in Latin America, a region that is feeling its effects with nearly unprecedented severity.
From Mexico to Argentina, coronavirus cases continue to rise with a few exceptions. There were more than 1.4 million cases in Latin America and almost 70,000 deaths as of Wednesday, according to data from US-based Johns Hopkins University.
The World Health Organization (WHO) believes there is cause for concern and that "strong government leadership" and solidarity are needed.
There is particular concern that the health emergency in the region could worsen with the arrival of the southern winter, the flu season in South America and the hurricane season in the Caribbean.
