ALL STATISTICS ARE ACCURATE AS OF APRIL 22 ACCORDING TO:
Worldometers

United States
–Cases: 804,759
–Deaths: 44,000
According to the New York Times, the United States is struggling to contain the spread of the virus due to individual states lifting travel restrictions and lack of federal involvement. Recently, governors from Kentucky and Georgia have proposed to reopen their states to improve the economic sector, but some locals have pushed back. In Florida during spring break, many college students roamed the beaches and returned home by plane, spreading the contagious disease even more. Many broadcasters have criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for comparing the virus to the common flu because it sparks false information about the origins and effects of the virus.
Sources:
New York Times
New York Times (2)

Canada
   -Cases: 38,205
   -Deaths: 1,831
On March 19, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in collaboration with President Donald Trump closed the United States-Canada Border for non-essential travel. The provinces of Quebec, Ontario and Alberta have been hit the hardest due to their proximity to larger cities and border-crossings. According to the Canadian government, compared to their southern neighbors, Canada has responded well to the outbreak by establishing strict quarantine regulations and monitoring cases in each province efficiently. Recently, 1,600 healthcare workers traveled to Detroit, Mich., to help U.S. workers in the heavily hit city. “There is a significant amount of time, still, before we can talk about loosening such restrictions,” Trudeau said.
Sources:
Government of Canada
Politico

South Korea
   -Cases: 10,683
   -Deaths: 237
Arguably having one of the best responses to the COVID-19 outbreak, South Korea has used many new methods of healthcare and testing to their advantage. Even before anyone in the country contracted the virus, healthcare professionals were already working on an efficient testing kit. After combatting MERS (a viral respiratory illness) in 2015, South Korea was one of the first established nations to use contact tracing to fight the spread of the virus. Compared to many other countries with similar population densities, South Korea’s flattened curve and number of cases has shown that they have succeeded in their lockdown and testing procedures. The civilians have given up some of their privacy rights to the government to fight the virus such as location tracking, social media tracing and access to public attractions.
Sources:
Bloomberg

Germany
   -Cases: 148,024
   -Deaths: 4,948
Creating test kits at such an accelerated rate, Germany has slowed the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak through organized lockdown procedures, as well as testing over 120,000 civilians per day. German officials have cautiously advocated for the reopening of small businesses and public spaces less than 800 square meters. The country is primarily focusing on creating accessible testing kits and preparing for the inevitable second wave of cases. According to NPR, Germany has used organized decision-making processes such as reopening businesses slowly and federal regulations to their advantage during this crisis. Germany has changed their systematic responses and adjusted their societal and economic sectors accordingly. Other European countries like Italy and France are unable to efficiently change their procedures, with both nations having over 20,000 deaths.
Sources:
NPR
CNBC

South Africa
   -Cases: 3,465
   -Deaths: 58
Often criticized for corruption and scandals in the federal government, South Africa has shown how their methods of lockdown, testing and regulations work at a societal level. Compared to many African nations, South Africa responded to the COVID-19 outbreak quickly, establishing care centers and testing facilities in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and many other regions. Since late-March, the country has seen a drastic decrease in cases and many officials have attributed this to their responsiveness. However, healthcare workers are expecting another wave soon and are deploying aid to poorer and often neglected parts of the country.
Sources:
Science Mag
BBC

Russia
   -Cases: 52,763
   -Deaths: 456
Approaching their peak much later than others, Russia saw a surge in cases starting in mid-April, with over 2,500 people contracting the virus in one day. The federal government closed their borders completely and implemented controversial travel bans on Chinese citizens on January 30. Two-thirds of the cases in Russia have been in the capital, Moscow, and many scientists predict the curve will not flatten until there are strict regulations on civilian access to public lands, social distancing and changes in their healthcare system. After many criticized the government for covering up their COVID-19 statistics, Russia is now experiencing an exponential increase comparable to Italy’s curve in March.
Sources:
NPR

Brazil
   -Cases: 40,814
   -Deaths: 2,588
Similar to many skeptics from the United States, Brazilian officials are undermining the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak. While the virus is still in its infancy compared to many countries in South America, there have been no significant federal government regulations for civilians. President Jair Bolsonaro has fought regional leaders about imposing regulations, stating the virus should not stop the functionality of Brazil. Recently, Bolsonaro joined a group of protestors in the capital, Brasilia, advocating for authoritarian control while the virus is active in Brazil. The president wants to reopen borders, businesses and tourist attractions. Bolsonaro was seen coughing without a mask during the ordeal and recently fired Luiz Henrique Mandetta, the country’s health minister that supported implementing stricter regulations.
Sources:
Washington Post
Foreign Policy

Italy
   -Cases: 183,957
   -Deaths: 24,648
After suffering a significant amount of deaths in mid-March, Italy has seen their first drop in active cases. While other European nations are struggling, Italy has already seen their heightened period, and many officials believe they will be able to reopen businesses and public attractions as early as May 3. Milan, which had the highest death toll in Europe, has advocated for the reopening of businesses, but some of the poorer southern cities such as Palermo, Naples and Bari are currently struggling with no federal regulations in place. Many scientists fear for Italy, suggesting they will see another resurgence in cases if no major actions or significant governing takes place.
Sources:
NBC News

Sweden
   -Cases: 15,322
   -Deaths: 1,765
With no lockdown procedure or regulations on social distancing, Sweden continues to see increases in cases and deaths. Norway, Finland and Denmark, which all border Sweden, have implemented regulations to slow the spread of COVID-19 and have utilized their healthcare systems to create and distribute testing kits. However, people are still seen walking around Stockholm, Sweden in groups. According to Business Insider, the country has seen a spike in cases since mid-March and unlike many European countries, has not seen a slow pace.
Sources:
NPR
Business Insider

Singapore
   -Cases: 9,515
   -Deaths: 11
At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, Singapore was regarded as the model for the rest of the world in combating the virus. The government had frequent testing facilities and quick hospitalization. They also traced infected civilians, but recently, the number of cases has soared. In the small country, many foreign workers from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh live in crowded housing buildings and many have contracted the virus. After discovering the major issue, the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong locked down the dormitories and stated this was necessary to flatten the curve. Although Singapore has experienced societal problems recently, they still have the lowest death toll in all of Southeast Asia.
Sources:
NPR
CNN