U.S. has half-million COVID-19-related deaths

Despite a slight downward trend in the U.S. for the number of new COVID-19 cases confirmed and new COVID-19 related deaths, and a push for vaccinations, the nation hit a dark milestone Monday with more than half a million Americans dead due to the disease.

Johns Hopkins University of Medicine reported on its COVID-19 online dashboard that the deaths in the U.S. stand at 500,617, about the number of Americans who died in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam war combined.

The numbers highlight the urging of federal officials and health experts worldwide to continue to take the virus...