100,000 Isn't Just a Number. It's a Reminder of the Deep Trauma the Pandemic Is Afflicting on Americans
We knew the news was coming, but when it became official it still stung.
As of 6 p.m. yesterday, the U.S. coronavirus death toll ticked past 100,000, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Yes, the news is about a number. But we all know it represents much more than that. For weeks, I have worked with colleagues across TIME’s newsroom to publish The Lives Lost to Coronavirus, a collection of obituaries that highlight some of the people who have died of a virus that has upended all our lives.
All of those we’ve featured have made an impact on humanity in ways large and small, and they leave behind many people who love them. Some of those lost, like singer-songwriter John Prine and playwright Terrence McNally, made moving art from that now serves as their legacy, while others made their mark by enriching the lives of those close to them. Sister Annelda Holtkamp, who died last month at age 102, worked as a “homemaker” in her convent and is remembered for tackling tasks like ironing and cooking with good cheer. And little Sklyar Herbert, just 5 years old when she died in April, brought joy to her parents—both first responders—simply by jumping in their arms.
Working on this project has brought into focus for me the depth of grief we are facing as a nation, and like many Americans I’m also grappling with the reality that the U.S. has lost more people to this invisible enemy than any other country in the world by a magnitude of order.
As Jamie Ducharme writes in her story marking the country crossing the 100,000 threshold, the number of U.S. deaths is more than those lost to the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the 9/11 attacks—combined.
We also know that number will continue to increase, and that we all play a role in how extensively this virus will continue to spread. Ducharme notes that after a steady decline in new confirmed cases, the trend appears to be reversing in recent days, likely tied to states opening up and rigor around social distancing loosening.
It’s human nature to want to be close to one another; we’re social animals. But yesterday’s grim milestone was a reminder to me to stay vigilant. We owe that to those lost, and to protect the lives of many more.
More than 5.6 million people around the world had been sickened by COVID-19 as of 8 PM eastern time last night, and more than 355,000 people had died.
Here is every country with over 80,000 confirmed cases:
A heat wave and a locust invasion have complicated coronavirus prevention measures in India, which is recording more and more cases each day. In New Delhi this week temperatures reached 118°F. In the state of Rajasthan, temperatures soared to 122°F, the Associated Press reports.
Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe and Malawi, a manhunt is underway to track down more than 500 people who escaped quarantine centers, some of whom were diagnosed with the virus. More than 400 people fled a stadium in Malawi while health workers who lacked protective equipment could only watch, according to the AP. In Zimbabwe, an additional 100 people fled a 21-day mandatory quarantine after returning from abroad.
Automaker Nissan announced today that it will be closing its plants in Spain and Indonesia because of the pandemic, part of its plan to cut global production by 20%. Angry Nissan workers in Spain have started to protest the closures, and Spain’s government has urged Nissan to reconsider, as an estimated 20,000 jobs could be at risk, the AP reports.
In the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced new rules allowing for groups of six or less to congregate in private outdoor spaces beginning next week. The announcement comes as U.K. police said Johnson’s advisor, Dominic Cummings, likely broke lockdown rules by traveling 250 miles to see his parents, but will not face any further action.
Finally, many countries that depend on tourism have started to set out new plans designed to bring in visitors despite COVID-19. The Mediterranean country of Cyprus, for example, announced it would cover the medical costs for any tourists who catch the virus during their stay.
The Situation in the U.S.
The total number of COVID-19 diagnoses in the U.S. rose to nearly 1.7 million as of 8 PM eastern time yesterday, and the death toll reached a somber milestone, surpassing 100,000.
On May 27, there were 18,263 new cases and 1,505 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
As the U.S. mourns 100,000 lives lost to COVID-19, another staggering figure continues to climb: Last week there were an additional 2.1 million unemployment claims according to today’s job’s report by the U.S. Department of Labor, bringing U.S. job losses up to about 41 million people since the outbreak began. The U.S. unemployment rate is now 14.5%. In addition, a report published by the U.S. Commerce Department today announced that the economy shrank 5% in the first quarter of the year. Economists expect worse outcomes in the next April-June quarter.
One hard-hit industry is tech. According to an analysis by Bloomberg News, more than 40,000 tech jobs have been cut since the start of the pandemic, which could have ripple effects on the recovery of the overall American economy, given that tech companies make up a bigger chunk of the stock market than any other sector, Bloomberg reports.
But the good news is that layoffs nationwide are starting to slow down, and some people have been rehired or found new employment. Though 41 million people have applied for unemployment since the start of the outbreak, the Labor Department says 21 million are currently receiving unemployment benefits, down from the roughly 25 million utilizing the benefits the week prior. Unemployment in the U.S. is still at a historic high, but for eight straight weeks, unemployment claims have been decreasing.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said today that the city could enter phase one of reopening as early as June, some good news for the country’s hardest hit region. According to the state’s reopening plan, phase one would allow the construction, agriculture, manufacturing, and wholesale trade industries to reopen, as well as retail businesses that would be limited to curb-side or in-store pick up or drop off. Phase one could mean 200,000 to 400,000 out-of-work New Yorkers could re-enter the workforce. New York City Council announced today it would introduce legislation that would close streets to create room for more outdoor dining this summer in an effort to boost the restaurant industry. And New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced he would sign an executive order to allow businesses to turn away any customers not wearing a face mask.
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of May 27, 11 PM eastern time. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
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Assisted living facilities, home to about 800,000 older Americans, have been largely overlooked in coronavirus-relief efforts, leaving many facilities under-regulated, understaffed and underfunded. Read more here.
In Yemen, the Virus Is Spreading Unseen and Unchecked
Yemen officially has one of the Middle East’s lowest COVID-19 case counts, but not because the virus has been contained. After years of war, mistrust of government and no proper health care services, health care providers have had to convince many that the virus even exists, writes TIME’s Joseph Hincks. Read more here.
Up to 80% of COVID-19 Infections Are Asymptomatic, a New Case Report Says
The research shows how prevalent asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 may be, suggests that official case counts are drastic underestimates, and emphasizes the importance of practicing social distancing even if you feel healthy. Read more here.
Dr. Raj Panjabi Warns of an Impending ‘Viral Apartheid’ if Our Approach Doesn’t Change
Panjabi, CEO and founder of Last Mile Health, spoke to TIME senior health writer Alice Park about his concerns that the world’s poor populations will be excluded from accessing treatments and prevention measures. Read more here.
Whitmer, who has been the target of insults and threats by President Donald Trump, spoke with TIME’s Molly Ball today as part of the TIME100 Talks series. Read more here.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Kathy Ehrich Dowd and Jasmine Aguilera, and edited by Elijah Wolfson.
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