US coronavirus deaths surpass grim 2,500 mark: study

WASHINGTON

Number of people who died from the novel coronavirus has eclipsed 2,500, according to data released by Johns Hopkins University on Monday.

The university's running tally counted 2,573 deaths and 143,527 cases as the U.S. struggles to curb the outbreak.

U.S. health officials said Sunday the U.S. could see between 100,000 and 200,000 coronavirus deaths based on current trends.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, estimated that the number of cases could run into the millions, but said while speaking on CNN the predictions could change as the outbreak is "such a moving target."

U.S. President Donald Trump further said the rate of coronavirus deaths would likely peak in two weeks.

"It should start coming down, and hopefully very substantially, from that point," he said.

The U.S. has become the country with the most confirmed coronavirus infections, followed by Italy, Spain and China after the virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December. It has since spread to 177 countries and regions.

There are 741,000 confirmed coronavirus infections worldwide, and 35,100 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins.