In the global fight against COVID-19, the US, the world's largest economy with strong capabilities in scientific research and industrial production, and a self-proclaimed "beacon of democracy," has shocked the world with its poor performance. As of 27 May, Johns Hopkins University's statistics show that the US ranks first in the world with more than 33 million cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 590,000 cumulative deaths. With less than 5 percent of the global population, the US accounts for nearly one fifth of confirmed cases and 16.9 percent of deaths worldwide. A recent analysis report released by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) of the University of Washington estimates the actual number of COVID-19 deaths in the US exceeds 900,000, far higher than the official figure. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on May 9 that the figure of 900,000 is "a bit more than I would have thought" but there is "no doubt" the US has been underestimating its number of deaths from COVID-19.
Despite speeded up vaccination, the situation in the US remains worrisome. In late February, deaths from COVID-19 topped 500,000, more than the combined death toll of World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War. The US health experts and officials have admitted that the country is faced with the fourth wave of infections. The Guardian reported on April 16 that at least 21 US states had seen a 10 percent or more increase in new COVID-19 cases diagnosed daily.