Italy witnesses decline in coronavirus numbers

Italy showed a decline in coronavirus figures. The European country reported 53 deaths on Sunday as compared to 72 a day earlier. 197 new cases were reported on Sunday as compared to 270 on Saturday, as per the Civil Protection department statement.

Also read: Global coronavirus death toll tops 400,000; US hardest hit with 109,802 deaths

Since February 21, 33,899 people have succumbed due to coronavirus, the agency said, the fourth highest in the world after those of the United States, Britain and Brazil.

With a total number of confirmed cases at 234,998, Italy now has the seventh-highest global tally.

The novel coronavirus death toll has passed 400,000 since it emerged in China late last year, according to an AFP tally of official sources at 1430 GMT on Sunday.

A total of 400,052 deaths have now been recorded -- a figure that has doubled in the past month and a half.

While almost half of the deaths have been recorded in Europe (183,428), the United States remains the hardest-hit nation with 109,802 deaths from 1,920,061 cases.

Britain is next with 40,542 deaths, followed by Brazil (35,930), Italy (33,846) and France (29,142).

The sharp rise in fatalities and cases in Brazil has made Latin America the current focal point of the virus.