The COVID-19 pandemic has now claimed the lives of over 1 million people worldwide with more than 33 million reported cases.

The millionth death was recorded Monday, nearly 10 months after the first death was recorded in Wuhan, China.

Despite having approximately 4.2 percent of the world’s population, the United States has more than 20 percent of the total deaths and cases. Our 7.16 million cases and 205,000 deaths are the most of any country.

Another nation that is unsurprisingly near the top of the list is Brazil, which despite having approximately 2.7 percent of the world’s population has more than 14 percent of the total COVID-19 deaths globally.

The reason it is not surprising that the United States and Brazil are near the top of the list is that both nation’s leaders did not take the virus seriously when it began, and now their people are continuing to pay the price for their shortsightedness.

If a nation’s leaders do not take something seriously, their supporters will not either. They will also be unlikely to pass regulations that will protect people.

According to some Dr. Mike Ryan from the World Health Organization, the possibility of the number of deaths doubling before a vaccine is produced is not out of the realm of possibility.

We at The Daily Eastern News urge everyone to continue to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously. Many people grew tired of protocols and other preventative measures a long time ago, but until there is a vaccine, these measures are the best tool we have to fight the continued to continued spread of the virus.

For people who have not been taking the pandemic seriously, it is not too late to start. If you don’t, these million deaths could just be the start.