[Vause:] The U.S. now the first country to confirmed 2 million cases of the coronavirus, more than a quarter of all non-infections worldwide. The outbreak continues to get worse in some parts of the country and during the past week, 19 states have reported an increase in new infections. And surging covid cases are pushing Latin America to the limit. Johns Hopkins University is reporting that more than 70,000 people have died from the virus. Brazil accounting for more than half of that number. It's actually confirming the third highest death toll in the world just behind United States, and the U.K. Here's Shasta Darlington.
[Shasta Darlington, Cnn Correspondent:] Latin America and the Caribbean surpassed 70,000 deaths from coronaviruses Wednesday, with Mexico reporting a record daily surge in new cases. In Chile, police were deployed on the streets of Santiago to enforce lockdown measures after a spike in covid-19 cases prompted in an extension of quarantine. Meanwhile, in Brazil, Sau Paulo and Rio de Janeiro forged ahead with plans to reopen stores and even shopping malls despite warnings from the Pan-American health organization that the virus is still spreading aggressively in the region. Officials insist the decision is based on improving conditions such as increasing availability of intensive care beds in some areas. But experts worry the rush to get back to some kind of normal and limit the financial ruin could just fuel more transmissions and postpone a real recovery. Shasta Darlington, CNN, Sau Paulo.
[Vause:] Experts have different opinions on how hard the coronavirus will hit African countries. Earlier, U.N. estimate predicted up to 3 million deaths across the continent, that is if there is no intervention. But now there's a range of predictions from different health agencies. CNN's David McKenzie live for us this hour from Johannesburg in South Africa. So, essentially, what are we looking at here when we are looking in the extremes of the good and bad?
[David Mckenzie, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, also, John, predictions are predictions. The reality with modeling is that if any one thing changes, it can change the outcome. But I think even with that, there were was a sense from health experts some months ago that Africa would be in a very dire situation at this point. It hasn't happened, we try to find out why.
[Mckenzie:] As lockdowns across Africa began, health officials sounded the alarm. Frightening, severe, catastrophic. Words used to describe the continents prospects in the pandemic fight, but that was then.
[Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, Who Team Leader, Data, Analytics And Knowledge Management:] The countries in the African region are not where they have predicted that they would be by now. I think a lot of early predictions had painted a picture of, by this time, it would be quite overwhelming.
[Mckenzie:] A group of leading African scientists had predicted a very different outcome. Even in the worst-case scenario, they're modeling suggests a smoldering outbreak in Africa, where many countries could avoid a deadly surge.
[Karamagi:] The death and the severity of the outbreak would those be less severe than what we've seen in other countries.
[Mckenzie:] A key to their modeling work, including the socioecological factors that impact covid-19 spread. Like weather, population movement, urbanization. Two factor stand out, the relative use of sub- Saharan Africa, 70 percent of people are under 30, and the lower burden of so called diseases of lifestyle, like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Both they believe could lessen the severity of the disease. But even if countries avoid a search, they believe that any spikes could overwhelm weaker health systems.
[Karamagi:] Those are less severe outcomes that need to be balanced against the capacity of the system to respond to those outcomes.
[John Nkengasong, Director, Africa Cdc:] Our curve is increasing, and increasing quickly. So, I think the virus is ceding itself into the communities and getting momentum.
[Mckenzie:] And despite the new predictions, the head of the African CDC says it's far too early to be complacent. He says just five countries on the continent represent more than half the confirmed cases, and overall, the thing is still woefully inadequate.
[Nkengasong:] Now characterized it as a deadly pandemic, and now we have to intensify our efforts to be bold and aggressively in putting in place public health measures.
[Mckenzie:] Health measures like the army of health workers in South Africa, tracing and testing for covid. Here, unlike in many African countries, the cases are rising quickly. And the modeling of covid- 19's future spread will soon be tested. Well, John, in South Africa, that is in a way in exception that might prove their findings because there are much higher levels of those comorbidity issues here in South Africa, like hypertension and diabetes that could suggest that this country might see a problematic surge. He also said, the head of the African CDC, that we are in the very early stages of the pandemic in Africa, and it's a dangerous, perhaps, to make concrete predictions, but certainly a does prove it seems that this virus acts very differently in different places. John?
[Vause:] David, thank. David McKenzie for us in Johannesburg. Well, in a briefing on Tuesday, the U.N. secretary general reminded the world that the food systems are failing and the coronavirus pandemic is making things worse.
[Antonio Guterres, U.n. Secretary General:] This year, some 49 million extra people may fall into extreme poverty due to the covid-19 crisis. The number of people lack quickly food or nutrition, insecure will rapidly expand. Every percentage point drop in global gross domestic product means an additional 0.7 million stunted children.
[Vause:] And the message from Antonio Guterres is clear, act now, avoid a global food crisis. At least 81 people were killed in a suspected Boko Haram attack in northeastern Nigeria on Tuesday. Villagers say the attacker pass themselves off as Islamic teachers before using guns and armored tanks to kill women and children. Seven people including the village leader were kidnapped, the Nigerian army has sent troops to investigate. With that, we will take a short break. You're watching CNN. Back in just a moment.