Worldwide coronavirus death toll surpasses 1 million

As of Monday evening, the coronavirus has killed at least one million people around the world.

"It's not just a number," Dr. Howard Markel, a University of Michigan professor of medical history who has advised governments on containing pandemics, told The Associated Press. "It's human beings. It's people we love. It's our brothers, our sisters. It's people we know. And if you don't have that human factor right in your face, it's very easy to make it abstract." Markel's 84-year-old mother died of COVID-19 in February.

The first known COVID-19 death was reported in Wuhan, China, on Jan. 11, and the virus has made its way to all corners of the globe, devastating communities and causing economic turmoil. The United States has the highest number of deaths — roughly 205,000, or 1 out of 5 worldwide. The virus has also killed 142,000 people in Brazil, 95,000 in India, and more than 76,000 in Mexico.

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There is already a second wave sweeping through parts of Europe, and experts believe that due to students returning to college campuses and people not taking precautions like wearing masks and social distancing, a second wave will likely soon hit the United States, coinciding with flu season.

The death toll is based on data recorded by Johns Hopkins University, and because of inadequate testing and possible suppression of the real numbers by some countries, it is likely an undercount.