Millions mark US 244th Independence Day across the nation • Hundreds of events canceled due to virus outbreak • Number of infected persons approaching three million people

• Celebrating American Independence in Texas // Photo: Reuters

The United States marks Saturday's 244th Independence Day under severe controversy due to the country's growing corona eruption, ongoing protest against police violence and institutional racism and the economic crisis caused by the epidemic. 

US President Donald Trump yesterday held a mass rally on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and made a speech clarifying his views on the upcoming election campaign. "I am here as your President, hereby declare against this memorial that our heroes and this monument will never be destroyed or destroyed. Their legacy will never be destroyed or forgotten and Mount Rushmore will stand forever as an eternal tribute to our founding fathers and our freedom." 

The big demonstration was accompanied by fireworks, a crowd of thousands of spectators and impressive US Air Force aircraft. On the East Coast, there were also thousands of events to mark the Fourth of July, mainly picnic events, music shows and gatherings for a traditional "barbecue". In the evening, large fireworks shows are expected, including a fireworks display planned by President Trump in Washington, DC. 

But alongside the festive events, American Independence Day is also catching a darker tone this year. Hundreds of events have been canceled across the state, especially in the states of Texas, Florida, New Jersey and Georgia, due to the severe corona eruption that is affecting hundreds of lives every day across the state. Other events will take place under significant restrictions on the number of participants and their social remoteness. 

One of the cities most affected by the outbreak now is the city of Houston, Texas, which has reported a significant increase in the number of patients and the dead in recent days. An article in the American New York Times states that the city's hospitals are suffering from a lack of equipment and drugs and that many staff members have contracted the virus themselves. 

Despite the growing risk, in western Texas many heads of state refuse to apply the Corona restrictions introduced by the state governor last week and receive support from residents who oppose the restrictions. More than 190,000 people have contracted the virus in the southern state and over 2,621 have died from the disease. 

The state of Florida also recorded a particularly dismal record of adherence today when 11,458 people were diagnosed with the disease or carriers of the Corona virus. This is the number of daily infections greater than anyone who has registered in any European country. Seven other countries reported and yesterday recorded highs of the virus infection. 

While the situation in several key countries continues to worsen, the total number of infections in the United States currently stands at 2,913,666. It is estimated that in the coming days this number will cross the three million, close to a quarter of the number of people infected worldwide. The death toll from covid-19 disease in the United States is 132,221 people.