U.S. President Donald Trump pauses while speaking during a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic, in ... [+]
Topline: The U.S. surpassed both China and Italy for the greatest number of current confirmed coronavirus cases on Thursday according to The New York Times, which is tracking reported cases and deaths- it comes after the country's deadliest day since the beginning of the pandemic, when 223 people died Wednesday.
Key background: The global coronavirus case count passed half a million Thursday afternoon, marking a watershed moment in the pandemic. The milestone shows the rapid spread of the virus around the world: this time last month, there were only 82,700 confirmed global cases - and a month before that, just under 3,000 people had tested positive.
What to watch for: Cases in the U.S. will continue to rise as coronavirus tests become more accessible. While New York is the eye of the storm now, recent infection rates point to New Orleans as being the next nationwide epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
Full coverage and live updates on the CoronavirusI am a Texas native covering breaking news out of New York City. Previously, I was a Forbes intern in London. I am an alum of City, University of London and Texas State
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