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New York State Now Has More COVID-19 Cases Than Any Country in the World

The state on Thursday logged 159,000 cases of novel coronavirus, pushing it ahead of any country in the world.

The state of New York now has more COVID-19 cases than any country in the world, according to the latest figures by Johns Hopkins University. The state confirmed that 159,937 people have tested positive, pushing ahead of Spain, which has 153,000 historical cases and Italy, which has 143,000. The total figure includes those who have died, those who have recovered, and those who are still undergoing treatment. China, where the pandemic started late last year, only reported 82,000 cases. The U.S. has also reported 16,500 deaths, second only to Italy, which has more than 18,000 coronavirus-related fatalities. On Thursday, drone cameras captured images of people in hazmat suits digging mass graves in Hart Island off the Bronx, in New York City, which has traditionally been used as a burial ground for those with no next-of-kin or who cannot afford funerals or burial plots.