전세계 코로나19 환자 수 100만명 돌파…사망자도 5만명 넘어<br /><br />An unwelcome milestone has been reached,... but it's one many were fearing would come sooner rather than later.<br />Countries around the world have now reported more than one-million coronavirus cases as the deadly pandemic continues to spread.<br />The number of the cases in the U.S. is skyrocketing and experts are now saying the coronavirus death toll in Italy is probably much higher than the confirmed figures.<br />Choi Jeong-yoon reports.<br />More than one million people around the world are currently infected, have died from, or have recovered from COVID-19.<br />This is just three months since the first case was reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December of last year.<br />According to Johns Hopkins University on Friday, more than 180 countries now have cases of the virus.<br />It only took a week for the number of cases to double from 500-thousand on March 26th...showing how the coronavirus is spreading at an exponential rate.<br />The global death toll has also surpassed 52-thousand, a figure predicted by the World Health Organization just two days ago.<br />Among the countries affected by this unseen killer, the United States has the most recorded infections, accounting for around a fifth of the world's cases.<br />So far more than 240-thousand Americans have contracted the virus.<br />As a result, the U.S. government is imposing even stronger measures to contain the virus and is cracking down on Americans defying stay-at-home orders.<br />Close to 40 states have announced self-quarantine orders that are to last for weeks locking down around 90 percent of the country's population.<br />State governments are also trying to close businesses deemed nonessential that fought tooth and nail to stay open.<br />Authorities also say individuals who breach shelter-in-place orders could face up to a year behind bars and a five-thousand dollar fine.<br />Italy, which rapidly emerged as the epicenter of the virus in Europe, has the world's highest death toll...reaching around 14-thousand as of Thursday.<br />Italy's COVID-19 death rate is also around 12 percent, which is the highest in the world.<br />However, analysis by the Wall Street Journal says Italy’s coronavirus death toll is likely much higher than official figures indicate.<br />It says the numbers don't factor in the many people who died without ever being tested for the virus.<br />Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News.<br />
