Latest on coronavirus pandemic: Over 1.2 million people now infected

Nearly 1,203,000 people are infected with the new coronavirus and more than 64,770 others have died of the disease caused by it around the world, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

More than 246,890 patients have also recovered from the disease, COVID-19, so far.

The epidemic has also sparked a global economic crisis as strict measures adopted by governments to control their outbreaks have locked down billions of people around the planet.

Analysts say it is almost certain that every advanced economy will experience a recession this year.

Spain ‘close to passing peak’

A total of 11,947 people have died of COVID-19 in Spain.

The country, which also has 126,168 confirmed cases of the disease, is now “close to passing the peak of infections,” according to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Sanchez also announced on Saturday that he would extend lockdown measures until April 25.

Italy reports low daily rise in deaths

Italy reported 681 new deaths on Saturday, the lowest daily rise in deaths in almost two weeks but still a huge number compared to much of the world.

Italy’s cases rose by 4,805 on Saturday, which was slightly higher than recent daily increases.

Officials said the number of patients in intensive care had also fallen for the first time.

Italy has become the hardest-hit Western nation, with 124,632 confirmed cases and 15,362 deaths.

Officials warned people not to flout strict lockdown measures that they say were starting to show results.

France’s death toll hits new high

The total number of deaths from COVID-19 in France reached 7,560 on Saturday. The figure is a new high in the country’s toll after the government included on Saturday more previously unreported deaths in nursing homes.

The French Health Ministry reported 441 new deaths in the country’s hospitals on Saturday.

Since the start of the epidemic in the country in early March, 90,848 people have been infected and 7,560 have died.

Previously unreported nursing home deaths now make up nearly a third of France’s total coronavirus deaths.

Germany’s deaths on the rise

The number of deaths and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Germany climbed further on Saturday, making the country the third most-affected in Europe after Italy and Spain.

Deaths rose by 168 to 1,275 on Saturday, bringing the total fatalities to 1,444.

Some 96,092 people are also infected across the country.

Greece quarantines 2nd refugee camp

Greek authorities said on Sunday they had quarantined a second refugee camp this week after a man there tested positive for COVID-19.

The patient, a 53-year-old from Afghanistan, lived with his family at the Malakasa camp along with hundreds of other refugees. He has been transferred to a hospital in Athens.

Authorities quarantined the first camp on Thursday after 20 asylum seekers tested positive for the disease.

According to Johns Hopkins University data, Greece has 1,673 confirmed cases and 68 deaths.

India’s cases pass 3,500

India’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached 3,588 on Sunday.

Officials said on Saturday that lockdowns could be extended in parts of the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a lockdown on the country’s entire population of 1.3 billion almost two weeks ago.

The handling of the epidemic has, however, caused more misery in the country, where countless millions of people live in packed urban areas with poor sanitation and public healthcare.

South Korea’s cases increase by 81

In Asia, South Korea said its cases had increased by 81 as of Sunday morning.

The number of deaths also increased by six, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The country’s total now stands at 10,237, along with 183 deaths.

Seoul said on Saturday that it would extend its social distancing measures by another two weeks.

China reports 30 more cases

China reported 30 new cases, and three more deaths, on Saturday.

Of the new infections, 25 were imported, by people traveling from overseas, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).

The country’s total cases of infection now stand at 82,544, with 3,329 deaths across the mainland, according to the NHC.

Thailand reports 102 new cases

Thailand’s Health Ministry reported 102 new cases and three more deaths as of Saturday.

That brought the total number of cases to 2,169, and the deaths to 20.

The government banned all incoming passenger flights on Saturday to prevent the rise in imported cases.

Mexico reports 202 new cases, 19 deaths

COVID-19 is also taking a toll on people in North America, with Mexico reporting an increase in the number of its cases.

The new cases of the viral infection increased by 202 to a total of 1,890, according to Mexico’s Health Ministry. The number of deaths jumped by 19 to 79 in total.

Ecuador keeps bodies in giant containers

In South America, Ecuador has begun storing the bodies of the victims of COVID-19 in giant refrigerated containers.

Officials said hundreds of bodies had already filled morgues and hospitals in the city of Guayaquil, the epicenter of the country’s outbreak.

Three containers have thus been installed at public hospitals to preserve bodies until graves were prepared, according to Guayaquil’s Mayor Cynthia Viteri.

A number of bodies have been abandoned by families of the victims on the streets or at homes for lack of burial space.

So far, 150 victims have been buried in a private cemetery in the port city.

The country has confirmed 318 deaths from COVID-19 and 3,465 cases of infection so far.

President Lenin Moreno, however, said this week that the real figure was higher.

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