The coronavirus pandemic by the numbers

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The coronavirus pandemic by the numbers

Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeI’m dwelling on numbers because this week, the US officially counted 200,000 COVID-19 deaths. Words like “grim milestone” just don’t seem adequate in the face of that toll. Numbers are valuable. Case counts help scientists track the infection’s spread. Death tolls help policy makers figure out where things are going right — or horribly wrong. They’re utilitarian. They can also hit like a derailed train. Sin…