U.S. surpasses China with coronavirus cases as global total tops 500,000

The United States is leading the world in the number of coronavirus cases as of Friday with 85,707 people sick, according to tracking by NBC News — a toll that surpasses the caseload in China where the pandemic ignited in December.

The number of deaths has also risen to 1,268, with New York being the worst hit, accounting for 433 of those killed by COVID-19.