The number of coronavirus-related deaths around the world passed a sobering new milestone with 78,269 total fatalities on Tuesday, according to data by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.
After emerging in Wuhan, China last December, the COVID-19 virus has spread to at least 184 countries and regions with nearly 1.4 million cases.
The Maryland-based university’s running tally also counted over 292,273 recoveries.Japan to declare state of emergency over coronavirus
Italy, Spain, and France continue to be the countries facing the most fatalities, while the US has the largest number of cases with more than 378,389. Death toll in the US is roughly 11,000.
U.S. authorities have warned the number of fatalities in the US this week may be especially bad.
Spain and Italy follow the US in the number of cases, with over 140,000 and 132,000, respectively. However, Italy has the most virus-related fatalities with 16,523, followed by Spain with 13,798.
Nearing the 100,000 mark in terms of cases, France has the third-highest death toll with 8,911.
China, ground zero of the virus, most recently reported 3,335 deaths and nearly 83,000 cases, but those figures have been called into question both within and outside China.
Many countries have restricted travel from the most-affected areas and imposed lockdowns as the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic and Europe its new epicentre.
Egypt reported 149 new coronavirus cases, its highest daily toll since confirming the first infection in February.
The North African country, which also reported seven new fatalities, has so far recorded 1,322 cases including 85 deaths.
A total of 259 people had recovered from the fast-spreading disease and been released from hospitals as of Monday, Egypt's Health Ministry said in a statement.Turkey's death toll from the new coronavirus rose by 75 on Monday to total 649, and new confirmed cases rose by 3,148 to bring the country's total to 30,217, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.
He said 21,400 tests for the COVID-19 disease had been performed in Turkey in the past 24 hours.
