Confirmed cases of COVID-19 top 1 million worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins

The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus across the world passed 1 million for the first time, according to data from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

As of the afternoon of April 2, the total confirmed case count in the world was 1,002,159. Nearly one-fourth of those cases are in the United States which has 234,462, according to the Johns Hopkins data.

The United States has the most coronavirus cases out of any country in the world. The current epicenter of the U.S. pandemic is New York City.

New data shows that the coronavirus pandemic is hitting especially hard in New York City neighborhoods that tend to be poorer and might be more likely to have many people living under one roof.

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Data released late Wednesday by city health officials show that residents in the immigrant-rich Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Corona sections of Queens have tested positive for the virus at higher rates than in wealthy, mostly white parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.

A top city hospitals official says the virus can spread more easily in crowded housing conditions.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.