Washington, April 24: The death toll due to novel coronavirus crossed the 50,000-mark on Friday as the country recorded another 3,176 fatalities in a single day due to the contagious disease. The numbers account for more than 25 percent or one-fourth of the deaths registered due to COVID-19 across the world. Globally, the pandemic has claimed 193,224 lives, as per the update issued by trackers by the time this report was published. Prince Charles Launches Emergency Fund for India, Pakistan and Other South Asian Countries to Fight Against COVID-19.

According to the tracker, 50,031 people have now died in the United States from COVID-19 since the start of the global health crisis, with more than 870,000 confirmed cases.

The acceleration of death toll in America came amid a vote of ascent in the House of Representatives for a $484-billion stimulus package to prevent the breakdown of economy. The monetary package mandates sops and tax reliefs to small traders and business owners, apart from raising capital in distressed sectors.

The new package would provide another $320 billion for small businesses to keep their doors open and pay their workers, after the initial $349 billion in the Paycheck Protection Program was drained in just two weeks.

A portion of the relief amount would also be used in revamping the country's health infrastructure, aiding the government hospitals with kits and equipments, and subsidising COVID-19 tests for the beneficiary section of the populace.

The new funding will also provide $75 billion for hospitals, $25 billion to expand virus testing and $60 billion in disaster recovery loans and grants.

The twin-pronged damage inflicted by coronavirus on the US - with unprecedented lives lost and economy wreaked - the States are weighing their options on continuing the lockdown. At least two provinces - Texas and Georgia - are gearing to open up from Monday to restart their economies.

(With AFP inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 24, 2020 09:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).