Washington: The total number of global coronavirus cases has crossed the 67 million mark, while the deaths have surged to more than 1.53 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
In its latest update on Monday, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 67,009,962 and 1,535,107, respectively.
The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 14,750,316 and 282,236, respectively, according to the CSSE.
India comes in second place in terms of cases at 9,644,222, while the country's death toll soared to 140,182.
The other countries with more than a million confirmed cases are Brazil (6,603,540), Russia (2,439,163), France (2,345,648), Italy (1,728,878), the UK (1,727,751), Spain (1,684,647), Argentina (1,463,110), Colombia (1,371,103), Germany (1,184,845), Mexico (1,168,395), Poland (1,063,449) and Iran (1,040,547), the CSSE figures showed.
Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of fatalities at 176,941.
Frozen food packaging samples test Covid-19 positive in Wuhan
Chinese health authorities said that two imported frozen food packaging samples have tested positive for Covid-19 in Hubei province's capital city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus is likely to have originated in December 2019.
In a statement on Sunday, the city's health commission said that the samples were taken from a batch of frozen pork imported from Brazil and a batch of frozen beef from Uruguay, reports Xinhua news agency.
Local authorities have taken emergency measures to seal the imported frozen goods and disinfect the storage facilities and the surrounding environment.
The frozen pork imports consisting of 1,527 boxes and weighing 27.49 tonnes were shipped from Brazil to Shanghai on June 28.
They were transported from Shanghai to Wuhan on July 27 and stored at a local cold storage on July 29.
The frozen beef contained in 1,210 boxes, weighing 26.93 tonnes, was shipped to Tianjin Municipality on March 2.
It reached Wuhan on March 28.
The nucleic acid test results of 511 samples from the cold storage, 460 samples from the frozen food packaging and 524 samples from local employees were all negative.
UK records another 17,272 coronavirus cases with 231 deaths
UK records another 17,272 coronavirus cases with 231 deaths
Another 17,272 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 1,723,242, according to official figures released.
The coronavirus-related deaths in Britain rose by 231 to 61,245, the data showed on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Earlier Sunday, a Christmas market in northern England's Nottingham city, which is placed in Tier 3 restrictions, has been closed due to large crowds and a lack of social distancing.
The Mellors Group, the organizer of the market, said in a statement: "In light of the unprecedented high footfall seen up and down the country for retail nationally, we have decided to temporarily close the Christmas market."
Meanwhile in London, four men were arrested for such offences as affray and breaking coronavirus regulations, as crowds gathered outside Harrods, a famed department store in central London.
England is currently under a new three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions that replaced the month-long national lockdown in England which ended on December 2. London is one of the Tier 2 areas.
Iran reports 11,561 new Covid-19 cases, 1,040,547 in total
Iran's Health Ministry reported 11,561 new Covid-19 cases, raising the total nationwide infections to 1,040,547.
The pandemic has so far claimed 50,310 lives in Iran, up by 294 in the past 24 hours, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education during her daily briefing, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.
A total of 730,798 people have recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals, while 5,809 remain in intensive care units, Lari added.
(With IANS Inputs)