COVID-19: Death toll crosses 9,00,000 mark in US

In what can be called reaching a grim milestone, the death toll in the United States due to Covid has surpassed 9,00,000, as per the tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).  

Since January 2020, over 76 million cases have been confirmed in the country.  

The number of deaths due to coronavirus in the US reached 9,00,334 people, JHU tally showed on Friday afternoon. 

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In mid-December 2021, the United States had crossed the 8,00,000 mark in the deaths related to this disease. The highly transmissible Omicron variant was spreading throughout the country at that time.   

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden's administration said that it will be distributing 400 million high quality Covid N95 masks for free to Americans. The step was taken in order to rein in the coronavirus pandemic.   

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Tens of thousands of distribution points will be set up nationwide in order to give away masks. Pharmacies and community centres are expected to be main distribution centres. The White House said that the distribution drive will kick into full gear in February.  

"This is the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in US history," an unnamed White House official said in a statement.  

(With inputs from agencies)