This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
June 23, 2020 - The United States has become the hardest-hit country by the pandemic, with over 2.31 million official cases, and more than 640,000 people have fully recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The country added another 425 fatalities in 24 hours, surpassing the grim benchmark of 120,000 deaths, as reported by the Baltimore-based institution at 8:30pm (0030 GMT Tuesday).
While some states have largely lifted lockdown measures, and New York has taken a big step by allowing non-essential businesses to reopen, others have seen a rebound in infections.
Among the states experiencing a surge in cases, Florida has passed 100,000 cases, with nearly 3,000 diagnosed on Monday alone, according to local health officials.
President Donald Trump has expressed concerns that the virus death toll in the US could surpass 150,000, but insists that two to four million lives would have been lost if the country had not taken steps to slow the spread of the disease.
