After US crosses 7 million coronavirus cases, WHO warns global death toll may double to 2 million

As the United States hit seven million COVID-19 cases on Friday, the World Health Organization(WHO) warned today that the global death due to the coronavirus may double to two million if infection-fighting measures is not kept in control.

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"One million is a terrible number and we need to reflect on that before we start considering a second million," the WHO's emergencies director Michael Ryan, adding, "are we prepared collectively to do what it takes to avoid that number?"

"If we don't take those actions... yes, we will be looking at that number and sadly much higher," Ryan added.

The WHO's bleak prediction comes as the United States on Friday crossed seven million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to Johns Hopkins University live COVID-19 tracker. The United States now has 7,005,746 cases which is the highest in the world.

At least 203,240 people have died due to the virus in the US.

As the number of cases surged in the United States, UK reported 6,874 new coronavirus cases which is the highest daily surge since the start of the pandemic even as the Boris Johnson government had announced new curbs on Tuesday to combat the growing number of the cases in the country.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the England capital was at a "very worrying tipping point" with the COVID-19 growth rate at four to nine per cent.

The UK government had earlier imposed new restrictions which included 10:00 pm curfew for pubs, bars and restaurants with large parts of northern and central England under coronavirus restrictions.

Britain is the worst-hit country in Europe with the virus with nearly 42,000 deaths.