The coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a standstill. Here are the latest updates on the COVID-19 crisis from around the globe on Monday.
Global COVID-19 cases near 7.9 mn: Johns Hopkins University
The overall number of global COVID-19 cases was nearing 7.9 million, while the death toll has surged to over 432,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
As of Monday morning, the total number of cases stood at 7,893,700, while the fatalities stood at 432,922, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.
With 2,093,508 cases and 115,732 deaths, the US continues with the world's highest number of COVID-19 infections and fatalities, according to the CSSE.
In terms of cases, Brazil comes in the second place with 867,624 infections.
This was followed by Russia (528,267), India (320,922), the UK (297,342), Spain (243,928), Italy (236,989), Peru (229,736), France (194,153), Germany (187,518), Iran (187,427), Turkey (178,239), Chile (174,293), Mexico (146,837), Pakistan (139,230), Saudi Arabia (127,541) and Canada (100,043), the CSSE figures showed.
Regarding fatalities, Brazil has overtaken the UK in the second position with 43,332 COVID-19 deaths.
The other countries with over 10,000 deaths are the UK (41,783), Italy (34,345), France (29,410), Spain (27,136) and Mexico (17,141).
Chinese mainland reports 49 new confirmed COVID-19 cases
Chinese health authority said on Monday that it received reports of 49 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Chinese mainland on Sunday, of which 39 were domestically transmitted and 10 were imported.
Of the domestically transmitted cases, 36 were reported in Beijing and three in Hebei Province, the National Health Commission said in its daily report, Xinhua reported.
On Sunday, one person was discharged from hospital after recovery. No deaths related to the disease were reported, according to the commission.
As of Sunday, the overall confirmed cases on the mainland had reached 83,181, including 177 patients who were still being treated, with two in severe condition.
Altogether 78,370 people had been discharged after recovery and 4,634 people had died of the disease, the commission said.
COVID-19 death figure in Spain unchanged for a week
The number of deaths from COVID-19 in Spain has been unchanged for a week now, at 27,136, according to the data published by the Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Welfare on Sunday.
But the ministry also noted that there have been 26 deaths "in the past seven days," and that "a validation of the number of deaths is being carried out to allow us to correct the numbers, which will be updated weekly", Xinhua reported.
The Health Ministry also reported 48 new cases of COVID-19, drastically lower from the 130 reported 24 hours earlier, taking the tally to 243,928.
Meanwhile, Spain will reopen to travel from European Union (EU) countries -- with the exception of Portugal -- on June 21, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced at a televised press conference Sunday.
COVID-19 cases in Israel surpass 19,000
Israel's Ministry of Health reported 83 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total to 19,055.
According to the ministry, the number of death cases remained 300 for the third consecutive day, while the number of patients in serious condition has dropped from 35 to 33, out of 133 patients currently hospitalised, Xinhua reported.
The number of recoveries reached 15,375, with 18 new recoveries, while the number of active cases increased to 3,380.
Earlier on Sunday, the ministry agreed to ease restrictions for pro soccer and basketball players who all must undergo home quarantine as part of resuming training and matches.
Iraq's COVID-19 cases exceed 20,000
The total number of COVID-19 infections in Iraq climbed on Sunday to 20,209, after the health ministry reported 1,259 new cases since Saturday.
The new cases were 587 in the capital Baghdad, 122 in Dhi Qar, 81 in Najaf, 79 in Maysan, 69 in Kirkuk, 51 in Basra and Sulaimaniyah each, 39 in Wasit, 38 in Karbala, 36 in Erbil, 32 in Diyala, 29 in Anbar, 12 in Salahudin, 10 in in Babil, nine in Duhok and Diwaniyah each, four in Nineveh and one in Muthanna, the ministry said in a statement, Xinhua reported.
Meanwhile, 58 more died from the coronavirus during the day, with 29 in Baghdad's hospitals, bringing the death toll to 607, while a total of 8,121 patients have recovered, according to the statement.
The new cases were recorded after 9,920 testing kits were used across the country during the day. A total of 369,870 tests have been conducted since the outbreak of the disease.
Blood donation key to strengthening COVID-19 response: WHO
Countries must invest in robust infrastructure and public awareness campaigns to boost donation of safe blood and strengthen the response to COVID-19 pandemic, a senior World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Sunday on the occasion of World Blood Donor Day.
Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said that governments should roll out incentives that promote the donation of safe blood amid shortages of the commodity during COVID-19 pandemic.
"In the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply of safe blood is at risk. Regular blood donation drives are being postponed, and stay-at-home orders and fear of infection are preventing donors from accessing services," said Moeti, Xinhua reported.
According to Moeti, the disruptions to the global supply chain linked to the disease had already worsened the shortage of equipment required to facilitate blood donation and transfusion.
Moeti said that the use of blood plasma from patients who had recovered from COVID-19 to minimize severity of the disease to those infected reaffirmed the need for countries to have an adequate supply of the commodity.
She hailed efforts by African countries to ramp up blood donation in order to support the use of plasma in the treatment of COVID-19 amid a spike in the number of cases in the continent.
"In Mauritius, 150 people who have recovered from COVID-19 have indicated they are willing to give plasma in line with the national decision to use serum plasma therapy for COVID-19 patients in intensive care," said Moeti.
She said the pandemic presents African countries with an opportunity to improve their national blood donation services and ensure they collect, process and store COVID-19 convalescent plasma in a safe manner.
Ghana's health minister tests positive for COVID-19
Ghana's Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang-Manu has tested positive for the coronavirus, Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said here.
"I would like to take this opportunity to wish our hardworking and indefatigable minister for health Kwaku Agyemang-Manu speedy recovery from the virus infection which he contracted in the line of duty," Akufo-Addo said on Sunday in his latest COVID-19 national broadcast, Xinhua reported.
The health minister, who has been leading the public education on observing the disease prevention protocols, became the latest Ghanaian government official to have tested positive for the virus.
The president also announced the death of Kobina Sam, mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi, as a result of COVID-19 related complications.
As of Sunday night, Ghana has recorded 11,964 cases of COVID-19 with 54 deaths.
Read More:
Self-Swabbing Tests For COVID-19 Accurate And Safe
Johnson & Johnson To Begin Human Trial Of Covid Vaccine In July