Global COVID-19 cases top 18.3 million, over 694,000 dead

More than 18.3 million people have so far tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and over 694,000 others have lost their lives to the illness across the world, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Data shows that 18,306,842 people have contracted COVID-19 and 694,406 have died.

Latin America has become the world’s hardest hit region, surpassing five million confirmed cases of the infection on Monday, according to an alternate count by Reuters.

The following is the latest on the coronavirus pandemic from the past 24 hours:

Latin America passes 5 million cases

The coronavirus, which was initially slower to reach Latin America, has now infected over 5 million people in the region, according to Reuters.

Colombia registered 10,000 new on Monday, pushing the region’s collective tally past the five million mark.

Latin America has also recorded more than 200,000 deaths related to the disease.

Brazil’s total approached 96,000 on Monday, and Mexico’s surpassed 48,000. The two countries have the world’s second- and third-highest death tolls, after the United States.

Health experts said the pandemic was hard to control in the region — home to about 640 million people — due to its poverty and densely packed cities.

The United Nations Human Settlements Program said in a report that the coronavirus pandemic “has become an [un]precedented economic and social crisis and, if urgent measures are not taken, it could transform into a food, humanitarian, and political crisis.”

Australian state to impose hefty fines to curb coronavirus

Australia’s Victoria State said on Tuesday that anyone breaking COVID-19 restriction rules would face hefty fines, as high as 20,000 Australian dollars (14,250 dollars).

Fines of nearly 3,559 Australian dollars will be issued to anyone breaching stay-at-home orders. Repeat offenders face a fine of up to 20,000 dollars.

Authorities have deployed more military forces to help implement the isolation orders.

Earlier this week, Victoria imposed a night curfew, tightened restrictions on people’s daily movements, and ordered large parts of the local economy to close.

Germany sees second wave of outbreak

The head of the German doctors’ union said in a newspaper interview on Monday that the country was already contending with a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak.

“We are already in a second, shallow upswing,” said Susanne Johna, the president of Marburger Bund.

She told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper that the country risked squandering its early success by flouting social distancing rules.

The number of confirmed cases in Germany increased by 879 to 211,281 on Monday, according to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases.

The reported death toll rose by eight to 9,156, the tally showed.

Philippines issues stay-at-home orders

The Philippines has ordered a partial lockdown on the main island of Luzon, including the capital, Manila, to curb the spread of the virus.

The more than 27 million residents of the island have been told to stay home unless they need to go out to buy essentials.

The move came after the number of recorded infections surged past 100,000 there.

The country has overall reported 106,330 cases and 2,104 deaths.

South Korea reports 34 new cases

South Korea on Tuesday reported 34 new cases of COVID-19, including 21 imported cases and 13 local infections.

The country’s total cases have risen to 14,423, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). It has recorded 301 deaths from the disease.

China, Hong Kong report fewer cases

Meanwhile, both mainland China and Hong Kong reported fewer new cases of the disease on Tuesday.

The mainland reported 36 new cases, down from 43 the previous day. And six cases were brought in by the country’s nationals arriving from abroad.

No additional deaths were reported.

The new figures brought mainland China’s total infections to 88,099, as the death toll stands at 4,672.

Hong Kong also reported 78 new cases over the previous 24 hours.

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