The global number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 48 534 508, with the death toll reaching 1 231 017 as of 17:46 Central European Time (CET) on Friday, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The WHO coronavirus disease dashboard showed the number of COVID-19 cases in the Americas made up nearly half of the global total to reach 21 168 405.
Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros https://t.co/Z6pClwO4ej
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Europe and South-East Asia reported 12, 490, 012 and 9, 529, 882 cases, respectively.
The United States topped all countries in the world in both confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths. The country reported 9 387 978 cases and 232 166 deaths by 17:46 CET on Friday.
India and Brazil ranked the second and the third in the world in terms of caseload, reporting 8 411 724 and 5 590 025 cases, respectively.
Canada reported a rapid growth of coronavirus infections, with a total of 251 338 cases and 10 381 deaths as of Thursday evening, according to its government. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) updated COVID-19 guidance on Thursday, warning that the disease can be transmitted through small airborne droplets. The updated guidance came as Canadian Chief Public Health Officer, Theresa Tam, urged Canadians to use three-layer masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
In the UK, another 23 287 people have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 1 146 484, according to official figures released Friday. The coronavirus-related deaths in Britain rose by 355 to 48 475, the data showed.
Earlier on Friday, the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) announced that Britain’s coronavirus reproduction number, also known as the R number, remains between 1.1 and 1.3 – the same as last week’s figure. The R number is one of many indicators scientists use to determine how fast COVID-19 is spreading in the country. If the R number is above one, it means the number of cases will increase exponentially.
In Belgium, hospitals are faced with a record-breaking influx of patients with dozens of patients being transferred abroad as the country saw the highest COVID-19 infection rate in Europe and one of the highest death rates in the world. The country reported 479, 246 coronavirus cases and 12 520 deaths by 17:46 CET on Friday, the WHO dashboard showed.
Greece reported a total of 52 254 COVID-19 cases and 715 deaths, the Ministry of Health announced on Friday. Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, announced a three-week nationwide lockdown starting from Saturday.
Malaysia reported 1 755 new COVID-19 infections in the highest daily spike since the outbreak, the Health Ministry said on Friday, bringing the national total to 38 189. The government proposed an expansionary national budget aimed at helping the country fight and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Morocco announced on Friday 5 398 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally in the North African country to 246 349. The number of recoveries from the coronavirus in Morocco increased to 200 954 after 3 739 more were added, while the death toll rose by 68 to 4, 127, the ministry of health said in a statement.
Global coronavirus update: