COVID-19 cases in Americas hit 5.9 mln, half in Latin America and Caribbean -WHO director

Latin America and the Caribbean now account for 50% of the COVID-19 cases in the Americas, and the number of registered cases continues to accelerate, the World Health Organization's regional director Carissa Etienne said on Tuesday.

"This is a pandemic of staggering proportions and we have no option but to continue to put all our energy into controlling it," she said in a virtual briefing from Washington with Pan American Health Organization directors. Two months ago, the U.S. accounted for 75% of the COVID-19 cases in the Americas, she said, warning that the WHO sees acceleration of cases in several U.S. states, most of Central America and most of South America.