Top US health official declares gun violence a public crisis

The top US health official has declared gun violence in the country a public health crisis.

"Firearm violence is a public health crisis in America that poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of our country," Vivek Murthy said on Tuesday.

About 50,000 people in the US die each year from gun-related injuries - self-inflicted or caused by others, according to health authorities.

Injuries inflicted with guns are now the most common cause of death among children and young people.

Murthy recommends a range of measures to counteract this, including providing more money for research and stricter laws on the purchase and storage of weapons.

However, political opposition to this has been immense in recent years, particularly from Republicans.