THE WORLD Health Organisation reported a record increase in coronavirus cases yesterday as almost 260,000 people tested positive for Covid-19 in 24 hours.
According to the WHO, this is the first time since the pandemic began that the number of new daily infections has surpassed a quarter of a million.
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The biggest increases were seen in the US, Brazil, India and South Africa.
The previous record rise in new confirmed coronavirus cases was reported just one day earlier.
Yesterday, the WHO reported 71,484 new cases in the US, 45,403 in Brazil, 34,884 in India and 13,373 in South Africa.
The total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus passed 14 million on Saturday, with over 600,000 recorded deaths around the world.
GRIM TALLY
Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.
The global death toll from coronavirus also rose by 7,360 yesterday – the largest daily increase since May 10.
In the US, the number of deaths from Covid-19 exceeded 140,000 as cases continued to rise in 43 out of 50 states over the past two weeks, according to a Reuters tally.
Divided Americans have been clashing over mask mandates and the reopening of schools, with states and localities choosing conflicting strategies in the face of surging coronavirus cases.
On Thursday, the number of coronavirus cases in Brazil crossed the two million mark as infections continue to surge – with 78,817 deaths recorded.
India became the third country to record more than one million new cases of Covid-19 on Friday, behind only the US and Brazil.
Epidemiologists say India – which has recorded 1,078,757 positive cases and 26,838 deaths – is still likely months from hitting its peak.
Russia reported 6,109 new cases and 95 more deaths from the coronavirus today.
The nationwide tally of infections has risen to 771,546 cases, Russia's coronavirus crisis response centre said.
The death toll now stands at 12,342, and 550,344 people have recovered.
Mainland China reported 16 new coronavirus cases yesterday, up from 22 reported a day earlier, the Chinese national health authority said.
In the UK, 294,066 people have tested positive for Covid-19 and 45,273 have died.
It comes as the UK government is reportedly set to allow local councils to access the names and data of people in their areas who have returned positive Covid-19 tests.
Local authorities have been calling for full access to "named patient data" in order to properly tackle local outbreaks, according to The Observer.
An unnamed Government source reportedly told the paper: "Subject to necessary data safeguards, we will enhance the level of this detail to ensure that local public health teams on the ground have the information they need to fight this virus."
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