A healthcare worker waits for patients to be tested at a walk-in COVID-19 testing site on Tuesday inArlington, Virginia. US government epidemiologist Anthony Fauci admitted the true number killed by the epidemic in the US is likely higher than the official toll - the world's highest. Photo: AFP

Global economic recovery is facing an uphill struggle as the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases surpassed 10 million, 2.5 million of which are in the US, the highest of any nation. 

Chinese experts noted that the US' irresponsible handling over the pandemic has not only left the epidemic situation uncontrolled on its own soil, but also made it difficult for other countries to solve the crisis.

As of press time, according to data from the coronavirus resource center of John Hopkins University, there are 10,012,244 total confirmed cases around the world with a confirmed death toll of 499,342. There are 2,510,728 in the US and 125,538 deaths, which makes the country the epicenter of the pandemic at present.

The global number of COVID-19 cases reached 1 million in April, and it only took around two months to reach 10 million. 

Global COVID-19 cases hit 10 million Photo: GT

The US is the biggest global economy and its pandemic situation will greatly impact the world's economic recovery. Experts said that short-sighted US officials and politicians have got it wrong at almost every step in their efforts to prevent and control the outbreak, which now means the country is the biggest weak spot in the global fight against COVID-19.

Zeng Guang, a chief epidemiologist of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the reason the virus has spread so fast is due to natural and man-made factors. The virus is extremely infectious and far beyond the expectation of scientists, and many countries, especially countries in Europe and the Americas do not have enough experience to handle the unprecedented pandemic by mobilizing nationwide efforts.  

Lü Xiang, a research fellow on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times that the attitude of the White House toward the virus has greatly impacted the attitude of Americans, since from the very beginning the Trump administration tried to downplay the danger and the threat posed by the virus.

"Now the federal government is still trying to downplay the threat so that President Donald Trump can hold more election rallies, but some state governments have different opinions, so in a country with divided opinions on how to fight the virus, it would be very hard to control the pandemic," he noted.

Chinese analysts said according to reports from US media outlets, the fight against the virus now is no longer the country's priority, as many are preoccupied by or participating in nationwide protests and street politics, and this could also cause infections to rise. 

Coronavirus pandemic: Worldwide COVID-19 cases hit 10 mln Photo: GT

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded its outlook for the coronavirus-ravaged world economy, projecting a significantly deeper recession and slower recovery than it anticipated just two months ago.

The IMF said Wednesday it now expects global GDP to shrink 4.9 percent this year, more than the 3 percent contraction predicted in April. For 2021, the IMF sees growth of 5.4 percent, down from 5.8 percent.

Lü said when the outbreak started, the decision-makers of the West prioritized their economies and did not impose strict control measures. China meanwhile decided to temporarily sacrifice the economy to save as many lives as it could and control the outbreak as soon as possible. Now most parts of China are entering a new stage of economic recovery, but the US is still in a serious predicament. 

"This proves that US politicians and officials are short-sighted, and unfortunately, their mistake will pile on more difficulties for global economic recovery as the US economy is deeply intertwined with other major economies, including China, the EU and Japan," he noted.

Wang Guangfa, a respiratory expert at Peking University First Hospital told the Global Times on Sunday that in contrast to China's timely and strict measures against the coronavirus, the huge numbers in the US are caused by their weak and lax measures against the pandemic, which was largely bungled by some US politicians, Wang said, who singled out the presidential election for distracting attention from COVID-19.

As for the irresponsible approach from the current administration, Wang said, "Justice naturally inhabits a man's heart, and it's obvious that China is doing much better than the US in containing the virus and saving lives."

Zeng warned that the situation might worsen in the autumn and winter. In his view, the epidemic is not yet at its peak globally and the 10 million figure is not an "ending but a grim milestone" in the tough battle between humans and the virus. Although the epidemic has been brought under control in some countries, there may be a resurgence at any time.

Analysts are concerned that a second wave overseas due to the loss of control might increase the risk of imported infections to China, which would interrupt the pace of work resumption and load more pressure on the economy. 

We need to accept and be prepared for the long-term existence of COVID-19 and find a balance between responding to the epidemic and restoring the economy, but we must not let down our guard, Wang said. 

There are many uncertainties at present. What is needed is to consider how the world can properly face COVID-19 together and how to develop and use vaccines as a global public health product for the benefit of all mankind, Zeng said.