What six of the seven countries with the most COVID-19 cases have in common

In fact, of the countries reporting the most cases globally, 6 of 7 are middle-income nations.

And they’re not just any middle-income countries. They’re some of the most influential players in the global south. Brazil, India, Mexico, Peru, Russia and South Africa are not only major emerging market economies, they’re regional political powers.

Middle-income countries are defined by the World Bank as having annual per capita income between $1,000 and $12,000. The U.S., by comparison (the one high-income country in the top 7), has an average annual income of $66,000…

Amanda Glassman, the executive vice president of the Center for Global Development, says these countries have a lot to lose in this pandemic.

“Most of their populations in this group would fall back into poverty given a shock like this one,” she says.