New York, April 20 (RHC)-- Over 40,000 people in the U.S. have now died of COVID-19 — almost double last week’s death toll — with over three-quarters of a million confirmed cases of the virus. 

Globally, there are over 2.4 million confirmed cases and over 165,000 known fatalities.  True numbers of deaths and infections, both in the U.S. and around the world, are unknown due to lack of testing, issues around reporting and tracking data, and an unknown number of asymptomatic cases.

At least 7,000 of those deaths have been linked to nursing homes across the United States, including long-term care facilities for veterans.  Tens of thousands of residents and employees have contracted the infection.  At the Cobble Hill Health Center in Brooklyn, at least 55 people have died. Nursing care workers at some homes have stopped coming in to work, and many report a dire shortage in protective equipment.