Global Coronavirus Infections Top 300,000, Deaths Near 13,000

There are more than 300,000 declared cases of the new coronavirus around the world, according to an AFP tally on Sunday at 0900 GMT.

At least 300,097 infections have been confirmed globally, including 12,895 deaths, in 169 countries and territories, according to data collected from national authorities and the World Health Organization.

The figures likely reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections with many countries only testing cases that require hospitalization.

The agency also reported that nearly billion people around the world were confined to their homes, with the raging pandemic has forced lockdowns in 35 countries, disrupting lives, travel and businesses.

Governments scramble to shut borders and unleash hundreds of billions in emergency measures to avoid a widespread virus-fueled economic meltdown.

Europe Coronavirus Hotspot

As world leaders have vowed to fight the pandemic, the number of deaths and infections has continued to rise, especially in Europe — now the main coronavirus hotspot.

The situation has been increasingly grim in Italy where the death toll spiked to more than 4,800 — over a third of the global total.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a closure of all non-essential factories in a late-night TV address on Saturday.

The Mediterranean nation of 60 million is now the epicenter of the disease, which first emerged in central China late last year before marching out to the rest of the world.

Italy has now reported more deaths than mainland China and third-placed Iran combined, and it has a death rate of 8.6 percent among confirmed COVID-19 infections — significantly higher than in most other countries.

Spain reported a 32 percent spike in new deaths on Saturday, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warning that the nation needs to prepare for “very hard days ahead”.

Fatalities in France jumped to 562 as police officials said helicopters and drones were being deployed to boost the government’s attempts to keep people in their homes.

Across the Atlantic, more than a third of Americans were adjusting to life in various phases of lockdown, including in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Other parts of the United States are expected to ramp up restrictions as well.

Source: AFP (edited by Al-Manar English Website staff)