US COVID-19 death toll projected to top 230,000 by Nov

Washington, July 31 (IANS) The COVID-19 death toll in the US is projected to top 230,822 by November, said the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) of the University of Washington.

On July 22, the institute forecasted a total of 219,864 deaths from COVID-19 by November in the US, Xinhua news agency quoted CNN report as saying on Thursday.

The updated projection is based on the current scenario in the US where infection cases rise and some people refuse to wear masks and practice social distancing, or other measures, said the IHME in its projection model.

If the country universally adopts wearing masks, the number of deaths by November would drop to nearly 198,831, it said.

As of Friday morning, the US accounted for the world’s highest number of infections and fatalities at 4,494,252 and 152,055, according to the Johns Hopkins University.