Over 140,000 Covid-19 deaths in US as cases surge worldwide – Reuters tally

Coronavirus deaths in the US have surpassed 140,000, according to Reuters’ tally. The virus is on the rise in 42 of the 50 US states. In badly hit counties, officials are running out of spaces in morgues, and hospitals are struggling to handle the volume of patients, media reports suggest.

Reuters conducts weekly analysis of US state and county data, and reports that about 5,000 people a week are dying of the virus. In Arizona and Texas, officials are preparing for more deaths by organizing refrigerated trailers and coolers to contain bodies before cremation or burial. 

Cases are continuing to surge worldwide, with the World Health Organization reporting a record number of 259,848 new infections within a 24-hour period on Saturday. More than 7,000 coronavirus-related deaths were also recorded. 

In total, in the US, 3.7 million people have so far been infected with Covid-19.