Coronavirus Global Updates: COVID-19 Cases Top 84.5 Million, Death Toll Exceed 1.83 Million

Washington: The total number of global Covid-19 cases has topped 84.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 1.83 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

In its latest update on Sunday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 84,517,989 and 1,834,963, respectively.

The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 20,396,243 and 349,933, respectively, according to the CSSE.

India comes in second place in terms of cases at 10,305,788, while the country's death toll soared to 149,218.

The other countries with more than a million confirmed cases are Brazil (7,716,405), Russia (3,179,898), France (2,700,480), the UK (2,607,541), Turkey (2,232,035), Italy (2,141,201), Spain (1,928,265), Germany (1,773,540), Colombia (1,666,408), Argentina (1,634,834), Mexico (1,443,544), Poland (1,312,780), Iran (1,237,474), Ukraine (1,102,256), South Africa (1,088,889), and Peru (1,015,137), the CSSE figures showed.

Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of fatalities at 195,725.

The countries with a death toll above 20,000 are Mexico (126,507), Italy (74,985), the UK (74,682), France (65,048), Russia (57,235), Iran (55,438), Spain (50,837), Colombia (43,765), Argentina (43,375), Peru (37,680), Germany (34,257), South Africa (29,175), Poland (29,058), Indonesia (22,555) and Turkey (21,295).

UK records highest daily increase in coronavirus cases

Another 57,725 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, marking the highest daily increase in coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in the country, according to official figures released on Saturday.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country now stands at 2,599,789, the data showed, Xinhua news agency reported.

Another 445 have died within 28 days of a positive test, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain to 74,570, the data showed.

The latest figures were revealed as British medical experts warned that tougher days are still ahead due to the spread of the new virus strain, which is said to be 70 per cent more transmissible.

'Hospitals across Britain must prepare for Covid surge'

Hospitals across the UK are being told to prepare to face the same Covid pressures as the NHS in London and south-east England.

Senior doctor Prof Andrew Goddard said the virus's highly infectious new variant was spreading nationwide.

Case numbers were "mild" compared with where he expected them to be next week, he said, with doctors "really worried", the BBC reported.

It comes as a further 57,725 people have tested positive for Covid - a new daily high.

This is the fifth day in a row new daily cases have been over 50,000 and brings the total number of cases to 2,599,789.

Another 445 deaths, of people who had tested positive within the previous 28 days, were reported on Saturday - bringing the total number of deaths to 74,570, according to government figures.

The UK-wide total for people in hospital with Covid has already passed the spring peak.

Japan to consider declaring another state of emergency over Covid

he Japanese government will consider whether to declare another state of emergency over the Covid-19 pandemic, Yasutoshi Nishimura, the minister in charge of Japan's Covid response, has said.

Nishimura's remarks followed a request from the governors of Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures with a local resurgence of infections that puts a mounting pressure on the medical system, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We agreed that we are in a severe situation that warrants us considering the declaration of a state of emergency," Nishimura said at a press conference after a meeting with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and the leaders of the Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectural governments.

"We will hear the opinions of experts" before making a decision regarding the issue, he said.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga did not attend the meeting but was briefed at his office by health ministry officials about the governors' request and the current situation of COVID-19 outbreak.

The central government declared a state of emergency in April last year in some of the country's 47 prefectures including Tokyo and Osaka, and then expanded it nationwide. The state of emergency was fully lifted in late May.

Tokyo reported another 814 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday amid a rapid increase, with its cumulative total rising to 61,774, according to the metropolitan government. On the same day, 3,059 new cases were reported by local authorities nationwide.

The Japanese capital on Thursday saw a record 1,337 new COVID-19 cases, surpassing the 1,000-mark for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak, while the three other prefectures have also logged record numbers of daily cases recently.

Russia's Covid cases up 26,301 to 3,212,637

Moscow, Jan 3 (IANS) Russia registered 26,301 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its national tally to 3,212,637, the country's coronavirus response centre said in a statement here on Saturday.

It also reported 447 new deaths, taking the nationwide count to 58,002, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the statement, 2,599,035 people have so far recovered in the country, including 18,897 reported over the past day.

Moscow, the country's worst-hit region, reported 5,452 new cases, taking its total infections to 821,128, the response centre said.