Global coronavirus cases surge to 3.7 million, death toll at 263,843
Follow UsStory highlights
COVID-19 has now infected 3,753,219 people worldwide and 263,843 people have been killed due to this pandemic. Around 1,245,560 people of that tally have recovered.
Cases of infections of the deadly coronavirus surpassed 3.7 million worldwide on Thursday as COVID-19 spreads across Europe, North America and South Asia.
COVID-19 has now infected 3,753,219 people worldwide and 263,843 people have been killed due to this pandemic. Around 1,245,560 people of that tally have recovered.
A few days ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) had claimed how lifting lockdowns too early could lead to a second wave and would be a catastrophe.
The epicentre of the pandemic has shifted twice, first from China to Europe, and then from Europe to North America.
Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University have reported in its map that the United States has taken the grim title of the country with the most coronavirus infections and reported a record surge in unemployment.
So far, more than 73,000 Americans have died of COVID-19, and Tom Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, predicted the US toll could top 100,000 by the end of May.
Some scientific models suggest the figure will rise to 3,000 a day by June.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries to investigate any early suspicious cases of the coronavirus before December 2019 when the first human cases were officially identified in China's Wuhan.
The disease later identified as COVID-19 was first reported by Chinese authorities to the WHO on December 31 and was not previously believed to have spread to Europe until January.
WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said that other earlier cases could emerge after retesting samples.
(With inputs from agencies)