The U.S. has now seen more than 53,000 deaths, with New York City claiming over 17,000 of the country’s total fatalities. New Jersey and Massachusetts have also seen a significant number of casualties, with more than 5,600 and 2,500, respectively. No other state has seen more than 2,000 deaths.

Nearly 90 percent of COVID-19 patients placed on ventilators between March 1 and April 4 at hospitals within Northwell Health, New York’s largest health system, were reported to have died, according to a new study published earlier this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The study, conducted by researchers at the Northwell Health COVID-19 Research Consortium and the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, showed the mortality rate of those on ventilators who were aged over 65 was 97.2 percent, dropping to 76.4 percent for those aged between 18 and 65.

But New York has also shown signs of flattening of the curve of the outbreak. On Sunday, single-day hospitalization, intubation and fatality counts fell statewide. The number of new cases in the state fell for six consecutive days between April 14 and April 20, according to figures from the New York State Department of Health.

While the death counts in Italy and Spain have soared past 20,000, the figure has been far exceeded by the number of reported recoveries in both nations.

Italy has seen at least 26,000 deaths, while more than double that number—at least 63,000—have recovered from infection. Spain has had more than 95,000 recoveries, over four times as much as its death toll of nearly 23,000.

Both Italy and Spain have also shown signs of the pace of the outbreak slowing down.

On Thursday, the number of new cases in Italy fell below the number of newly recovered patients for the first time since the outbreak began. The number of active cases (patients currently in hospital or recovering at home) also dropped for four days in a row starting April 20.

The daily death toll in Spain continued to increase between April 19 and 23, but hovered around 400 to 440, reaching a slight plateau. The number of active cases also appears to have started to plateau, hovering around 100,600 to 100,800 between April 19 and 23, according to figures from the Spanish Ministry of Health.

The virus has spread to more than 2.7 million people across at least 185 countries and regions. More than 752,100 have reportedly recovered from infection, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.

Top 10 countries with the most COVID-19 deaths

(as of April 24)

U. S. —at least 53,100. Italy—at least 26,300Spain—at least 22,900. France—at least 22,600. U. K. —at least 20,300. Belgium—at least 6,900. Germany—at least 5,800. Iran—at least 5,600. China—at least 4,600. The Netherlands—at least 4,400.

The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates the countries with the most COVID-19 cases across the globe.

Data on COVID-19 cases is from Johns Hopkins University unless otherwise stated.

Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub. Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste. Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.

Medical advice

Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms. Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and runny nose, to avoid potential spread of the disease to medical facilities and other people. If you develop serious symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and contact local health authorities in advance. Note any recent contact with others and travel details to provide to authorities who can trace and prevent spread of the disease. Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.

Mask and glove usage

Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person. Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing. Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning. Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask. Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of the mask. Do not reuse single-use masks. Regularly washing bare hands is more effective against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves. The COVID-19 virus can still be picked up on rubber gloves and transmitted by touching your face.