United States logs world's highest coronavirus death toll

The United States surpassed Italy on Saturday to become the country with the highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths, reporting more than 19,600 fatalities since the outbreak began, according to a Reuters tally.

This report produced by Jonah Green.

The United States surpassed Italy on Saturday to become the country with the highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths, reporting nearly 20,000 fatalities since the outbreak began according to a Reuters tally.

And as cases in the U.S. rose past half a million over the Easter weekend, President Donald Trump turned his focus to reopening the country.

Public health experts have warned that the U.S. death toll could spike to 200,000 over the summer if the stay-at-home orders that have closed businesses and kept most Americans indoors are lifted after 30 days.

But Trump, who’s seeking re-election in November, has said he wants life to return to normal as soon as possible in order to save the economy.

(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "I don’t know that I’ve had a bigger decision.

But I’m going to surround myself with the greatest minds.

(FLASH) We’re gonna make a decision and hopefully it will be the right decision.

I will say this, I want to get it open as soon as we can.

We have to get our country open, Jeff.” (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) REUTERS REPORTER JEFF MASON, SAYING: “Will you say, sir, what metrics you’ll use to make that decision?” (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: “The metrics right here, that's my metrics.

That’s all I can do.” The current federal guidelines run to April 30.

The president will then have to decide whether to extend them or start encouraging people to go back to work and a more normal way of life.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits in the last three weeks surpassed 16 million, as weekly new claims topped 6 million for the second straight time last week.