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by IANS |
Washington, Feb 8 (IANS) The Washington National Cathedral paid tribute to the over 905,000 lives claimed by the Covid-19 pandemic in the US.
On Monday evening, the funeral bell at the cathedral tolled 900 times, once for every 1,000 people who had died since the pandemic started in early 2020, reports Xinhua news agency.
The mourning, also livestreamed on social media, took nearly 90 minutes.
"I remember when this particular sad tradition began in 2020, when 50,000 and 100,000 seemed horrible and unthinkable," tweeted Susan B. Glasser, a staff writer at The New Yorker and former editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine.
"Here we are. Soon, no doubt, one million."
Covid-19 deaths in the US surpassed 900,000 days ago, roughly two years after the country reported its first fatality.
As of Tuesday, the overall death toll stood at 905,521, while the cases have increased 76,848,718. The two tallies account for the world's highest.
President Joe Biden has called the loss of lives "another tragic milestone", while continuing to urge Americans to be vaccinated.
"Get vaccinated, get your kids vaccinated, and get your booster shot if you are eligible," Biden said in a statement.
"It's free, easy, and effective -- and it can save your life, and the lives of those you love."
A growing number of states are moving to ease Covid-19 restrictions, as daily new cases are on the decline nationwide, but the seven-day moving average of added deaths is still well over 2,000.
