Coronavirus deaths in US top 100,000

The US has passed 100,000 deaths in the coronavirus outbreak, figures from Johns Hopkins University show.

It has seen more deaths (currently 100,047) and infections (1.69 million) than any other country.

The first US infection surfaced in Washington state on 21 January, in a man who had just returned from China.

Globally there have been 5.6 million people confirmed infected and 353,414 deaths since the virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

As the US tops 100,000 deaths, BBC North America editor Jon Sopel says there is an uncanny symmetry, as the toll is almost the same as the number of US servicemen and women killed in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan over an aggregate 44 years of fighting.

Some hard-hit states like New York are seeing a drop in death rates, but 20 states reported a rise in new cases for the week ending on Sunday, according to a Reuters study.

Many millions of Americans have lost their jobs.

President Donald Trump has insisted that without his administration's actions the death toll would be far higher.

On Tuesday, he said the fatalities could have been 25 times higher.

Back in February he said the US had the virus "under control" and that by April it could "miraculously go away".

He predicted 50,000-60,000 deaths, then 60,000-70,000 and then "substantially under 100,000".

Mr Trump also argued on 20 May it was "a badge of honour" that the US had the world's highest number of confirmed infections "because it means our testing is much better".