Coronavirus tally: Global cases of COVID-19 top 124 million and U.S. nears 544,000 fatalities

The global tally for the coronavirus-borne illness rose above 124 million on Wednesday, according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins University, while the death toll rose above 2.73 million. The U.S. has the highest case tally in the world at 29.9 million and the highest death toll at 543,849. The U.S. added at least 58,764 new cases on Tuesday, according to a New York Times tracker, and at least 892 people died. The U.S. has averaged 54,810 cases a day for the last week, down 7% from the average two weeks ago. On the vaccine front, Hong Kong suspended vaccinations using Pfizer shots on Wednesday after they were informed by its distributor Fosun that one batch had defective bottle lids, the Associated Press reported. The suspension was immediate while Chinese pharmaceutical firm Fosun Pharma and BioNTech , the German company which created the vaccine with Pfizer Inc. investigate the matter, according to a statement by the Hong Kong government. Outside of the U.S., Brazil is second globally in cases at 12.1 million and also second with a death toll at 298,676. India is third worldwide in cases with 11.7 million and fourth in deaths at 160,441. Mexico is third by deaths at 199,048 and 13th highest by cases. The U.K. has 4.3 million cases and 126,523 deaths, the highest in Europe and fifth highest in the world.

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