America has just 4% of the world’s population, but nearly 25% of its deaths from the coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. once again crossed a somber COVID threshold much faster than any country in the world.

Less than a year after the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic, the U.S. recorded its 500,000th death Monday, according to the Johns Hopkins University dashboard. That’s more than twice the COVID-19 fatalities registered in Brazil, which ranks second on the list.

President Joe Biden commemorated the half-a-million lives lost at a ceremony in the White House, drawing on his own experience with heartbreak to personalize the unfathomable tragedy while exhorting Americans to wear masks and take other steps to prevent spread of the virus. He pointed out the death toll from the pandemic is higher than  the number of U.S. service members killed in battle during World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War combined.

“The people we lost were extraordinary. They spanned generations,” Biden said. “Born in America, emigrated to America. Just like that so many of them took their final breath alone in America. As a nation, we can’t accept such a cruel fate. While we’re fighting this pandemic for so long, we have to resist becoming numb to the sorrow.”

The U.S., with about 4% of the world’s population, has recorded 25% of the COVID-19 cases and 20% of the fatalities. The endless hours of toiling amid death and suffering have taken a heavy toll on health care workers, who are exhausted and frustrated with those who won’t follow public health guidelines aimed at curbing transmission of the virus.

“Don’t clap, don’t give me baked goods,’’ emergency room doctor Eric Cioe-Peña says in response to people thanking him for his efforts. “I don’t need any of that. I need you to wear a mask and not get COVID.’”

Even as the nation reaches what Dr. Anthony Fauci has called a “terribly historic milestone,’’ there are signs of better days ahead. Not only have infections, hospitalizations and deaths been dwindling since a post-holiday spike in January, but two highly effective vaccines are finding their way into millions of American arms, and another one might be authorized soon.

It is a race against time, though, because coronavirus variants are spreading across the country and threaten to touch off another surge of cases.

As the vaccination effort continues, public health officials are preaching vigilance and continued adherence to well-known mitigation measures – masking, social distancing, hand washing and avoiding large gatherings – hoping to avoid yet another COVID landmark.