The first cases of the COVID-19 pandemic in North America were reported in the United States on 23 January 2020. Saint Kitts and Nevis was the last North American country to report a case of COVID-19, doing so on 25 March. Bonaire confirmed a case on 16 April, becoming the last territory to do so.
On 26 March 2020, the United States became the country in North America with the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, at over 82,000 cases. On 11 April 2020, the United States became the country in North America with the highest official death toll for COVID-19, at over 20,000 deaths. As of 10 April 2022, there are about 97 million cases and about 1.4 million deaths in North America; about 88.9 million have recovered from COVID-19, meaning that nearly 11 out of 12 cases have recovered or that the recovery rate is nearly 92%.
As of 15 December 2023, the United States has had the highest number of cases in North America, at over 103 million cases, as well as the highest death toll, at over a million deaths. There have been nearly 75.7 million recoveries in the United States as of 15 December 2023, meaning that nearly 12 out of 13 cases in the country have recovered or that the recovery rate is about 92%. On 20 March 2022, the number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States exceeded a million.
As of 15 December 2023, Canada has reported over 4.7 million cases and over 53,000 deaths, while Mexico, which was overtaken in terms of the number of cases on 11 March 2022, the second anniversary of the day when the COVID-19 outbreak became a pandemic, by Japan, the second most affected country in East Asia, has reported about 5.7 million cases and about 320,000 deaths. The state in the United States with the highest number of cases and the highest death toll is California, at about 9.1 million cases and nearly 90,000 deaths as of 10 April 2022.
Timeline by country and territory
Counting of cases are subject to the number of tested people.
Antigua and Barbuda
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Antigua and Barbuda on 13 March 2020.
As of 10 March 2023, Antigua and Barbuda has reported 9,106 total cases and 146 deaths.
The Bahamas
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the Bahamas on 15 March 2020 with the announcement of the first case.
As of 10 March 2023, the Bahamas has reported 37,491 total cases and 833 deaths.
Barbados
Barbados announced its first two confirmed cases on 17 March 2020 and declared a public health emergency on 26 March.
As of 18 January 2026, Barbados has reported 109,141 total cases and 593 deaths.
Belize
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached Belize on 23 March 2020.
As of 13 January 2021, Belize reported 11,366 total cases, 587 active cases, and 277 deaths. This comes out to 690 deaths per one million population.
British Overseas Territories
Anguilla
The first two cases of the virus were confirmed on 26 March 2020. On 26 April 2020, all patients recovered.
As of 13 January 2021, Anguilla reported 15 total cases, 13 recoveries, and two deaths.
Bermuda
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda on 18 March 2020.
Cayman Islands
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands on 12 March 2020.
On 17 December 2020, Mercer University pre-med student Skylar Mack, 18, from United States, and her boyfriend Vanjae Ramgeet, 24, of the Cayman Islands, were sentenced to four months in prison for her violating the island's mandatory two-week quarantine two days after arriving from the United States, and for his aiding and abetting her. The sentence was later reduced to two months.
As of 13 January 2021, the Cayman Islands reported 362 total cases, 35 active cases, and two deaths.
Montserrat
The territory's first case was confirmed on 17 March 2020. Schools have been closed and public gatherings banned as a precautionary measure. By 15 May 2020, all cases had fully recovered. On 10 July, a 12th case was discovered.
As of 13 January 2021, Montserrat reported 13 total cases, 12 recoveries, and one death.
Turks and Caicos Islands
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands on 23 March 2020. On 12 May 2020, the last two cases recovered. There are currently no active cases, because one person left the country. On 20 June 2020, a new case was discovered.
As of 24 March 2023, Turks and Caicos reported 6,752 total cases, 3 active cases, and 40 deaths.
British Virgin Islands
On 25 March 2020, the first two cases in the country were confirmed.
As of 13 January 2021, the British Virgin Islands reported 114 total cases, 18 active cases, and one death.
Canada
The virus was confirmed to have reached Canada on January 25, 2020, after an individual who had returned to Toronto from Wuhan, Hubei, China, tested positive. The first case of community transmission in Canada was confirmed in British Columbia on March 5. In March 2020, as cases of community transmission were confirmed, all of Canada's provinces and territories declared states of emergency. Provinces and territories implemented, to varying degrees, school and daycare closures, prohibitions on gatherings, closures of non-essential businesses and restrictions on entry. Canada severely restricted its border access, barring travelers from all countries with some exceptions. The federal Minister of Health invoked the Quarantine Act, introduced following the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak. For the first time in its legislative history, the act was used, legally requiring all travelers (excluding essential workers) returning to the country to self-isolate for 14 days, until rules were changed to accommodate fully vaccinated travelers.
Near the end of summer 2021, cases surged across Canada, particularly in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Ontario, described as a "pandemic of the unvaccinated". A July 2021 PHAC epidemiology report said that those who were unvaccinated represented almost 90% of COVID cases reported. This fourth wave led to the reinstatement of pandemic restrictions like mask mandates in provinces such as British Columbia and Alberta. Consequently, vaccine passports were introduced in all provinces and two territories. Federally, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implemented vaccination requirements for air travel, Via Rail and Rocky Mountaineer trains, and federally regulated workers, effective October 30, 2021.
Colombia
On 6 March 2020, the first case in Colombia was confirmed.
As of January 2023, over 6,000,000 cases were reported, with over 140,000 confirmed deaths.
Costa Rica
On 6 March 2020, the first case in Costa Rica was confirmed, which was also the first such case in Central America.
As of 13 January 2021, Costa Rica reported 182,156 total cases, 39,805 active cases, and 2,384 deaths. This comes out to 466 deaths per one million population.
Cuba
On 11 March 2020, the first cases in Cuba were confirmed. As of 12 May 2020, new cases had fallen to less than 20 per day, and a program of mass testing was beginning.
Infections went up fourfold in January and February 2021. Cuba's death toll of 324 is well under the world average per capita, but health authorities worry that it is increasing. The government says two of its four vaccines should begin final trials in late March.
Greenland (Kingdom of Denmark)
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Greenland – an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark – in March 2020.
Dominica
On 22 March 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on the island of Dominica. It was a woman who recently came back from the UK.
As of 13 January 2021, Dominica reported 109 total cases, eight active cases, but no deaths.
Dominican Republic
On 1 March 2020, the first case in the Dominican Republic was confirmed, which was also the first case in the Caribbean.
As of 13 January 2021, the Dominican Republic reported 186,383 total cases, 43,738 active cases, and 2,428 deaths. This comes out to 223 deaths per one million population.
Dutch Caribbean
Aruba
On 13 March 2020, Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes announced the first two confirmed cases of coronavirus on the island.
As a result, the country restricted entry of all individuals coming from Europe via air and seaports – starting on 15 March and in effect until 31 March – with the exception of those who are Aruban citizens. They also suspended public and private school classes for the week of 16 March, as well as all large-scale public gatherings. On 29 May, all cases recovered. On 29 June, two more cases had been discovered.
As of 13 April 2024, Aruba reported 44,224 total cases, 624 active cases, and 52 deaths. This comes out to 486 deaths per one million population.
Curaçao
Coronavirus was documented for the first time in Curaçao on 13 March 2020. The case was a 68-year-old man who was on vacation from the Netherlands. By 9 July, all cases recovered. On 15 July, a new case was discovered. On 6 August, all cases resolved.
As of 13 January 2021, Curaçao reported 4,488 total cases, 1494 active cases, and 292 deaths. This comes out to 116 deaths per one million population.
Sint Maarten
As of 18 March 2020there has been one confirmed case in Sint Maarten. Schools have been shut for a period of two weeks. By 15 June, all cases recovered. On 1 July 2020, a new case was discovered, which resolved 3 July. On 15 July, a 79th case was discovered.
As of 13 January 2021, Sint Martin reported 1,589 total cases, 102 active cases, and 27 deaths.
Caribbean Netherlands
As of 13 January 2021, the Caribbean Netherlands reported 249 total cases, 65 active cases, and three deaths.
On 16 April 2020, Edison Rijna, Island Governor of Bonaire announced the first case of COVID-19 on the island.
The island was already closed to international travel. On 28 April 2020, all cases had recovered. On 14 July, two new cases had been discovered.
On 12 April 2020, the first case was confirmed in Saba. Schools, bars and 'non-essential services' are all currently shut. On 12 May, all cases on Saba recovered. On 1 August, two new cases were discovered.
On 31 March 2020, the first two cases were confirmed, they were two young men from the Netherlands who arrived on 15 March and self isolated after arrival. On 5 May all cases had recovered.
El Salvador
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached El Salvador on 18 March 2020.
As of 13 January 2021, El Salvador reported 49,539 total cases, 4,282 active cases, and 1,447 deaths. This comes out to 222 deaths per one million population.
Overseas France
Two cases of the coronavirus were confirmed on 1 March 2020 in the French collectivity of Saint Martin, having travelled from France through Dutch Sint Maarten and French collectivity of Saint Barthélemy, where they infected their son who is a resident. They then returned to Sint Maarten and were detected at the airport and transferred to French Saint Martin hospital for isolation.
According to the French Ministry of Health situation reports, as of 6 March, there have been two confirmed cases in Martinique, two in Saint Martin and one in Saint Barthélemy. On 5 April 2020, St. Pierre and Miquelon recorded its first verified case.
Region of Guadeloupe
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to the French overseas department and region of Guadeloupe on 12 March 2020.
As of 13 January 2021, Guadeloupe reported 8,776 total cases, 6,380 active cases, and 154 deaths. This comes out to 385 deaths per one million population.
Region of Martinique
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the French overseas department and region of Martinique on 5 March 2020.
As of 13 January 2021, Martinique reported 6,184 total cases, 6,043 active cases, and 43 deaths. This comes out to 115 deaths per one million population.
Collectivity of Saint Barthélemy
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the French overseas collectivity of Saint Barthélemy on 1 March 2020. The last positive case was on 31 March. On 21 April, the last case recovered. Between 18 and 24 July, a new case was imported.
As of 13 January 2021, Saint Barthélemy reported 206 total cases, 33 active cases, and one death.
Collectivity of Saint Martin
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin on 1 March 2020.
As of 13 January 2021, Saint Martin reported 1,025 total cases, 158 active cases, and 12 deaths.
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have reached the French overseas collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon on 5 April 2020.
As of 13 January 2021, Saint Pierre and Miquelon reported 16 total cases, all of whom had recovered.
Grenada
On 22 March 2020, the first case in the country was confirmed.
As of 13 January 2021, the British Virgin Islands reported 132 total cases, eight active cases, and one death.
Guatemala
The first case of coronavirus was confirmed to have reached Guatemala on 13 March 2020.
As of 13 January 2021, Guatemala reported 145,986 total cases, 8,362 active cases, and 5,117 deaths. This comes out to 283 deaths per one million population.
Haiti
On 19 March 2020, the first two cases in the country were confirmed.
As of 13 January 2021, Haiti reported 10,569 total cases, 1,443 active cases, and 238 deaths. This comes out to 21 deaths per one million population.
Honduras
On 10 March 2020, the first two cases in Honduras were confirmed.
President Juan Orlando Hernandez and his wife tested positive for COVID-19 in June 2020.
As of 13 January 2021, Honduras reported 129,805 total cases, 67,122 active cases, and 3,294 deaths. This comes out to 330 deaths per one million population.
78-year-old Cardinal Óscar Rodríguez Maradiaga was diagnosed with COVID-19 on 4 February 2021.