Coronavirus: US death toll passes 50,000 in world’s deadliest outbreak

The US virus death toll has surpassed 50,000, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, in what is the world’s deadliest Covid-19 outbreak.

More than 3,000 deaths came in the last 24 hours, and there are now over 870,000 confirmed cases nationwide.

But the US still has a lower mortality rate than most European nations based on current case counts, as the White House task force has emphasised.

The grim news comes as parts of the US reopen after weeks of lockdown.

Some hair salons, bowling alleys and other businesses are opening on Friday in Georgia, Alaska and Oklahoma.