Global coronavirus death toll climbs to 137,500

The worldwide death toll from the novel coronavirus pandemic rises to 137,500 on Thursday, according to a tally compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT from official sources.

More than 2,083,820 declared cases have been registered in 193 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December.

Of these cases, at least 450,500 are now considered recovered.

The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. Many countries are testing only the most serious cases.

In the United States, now the epicenter of the pandemic, the death toll stands at 30,985 with 639,664 infections. At least 50,107 patients have recovered.

Italy is the next most-affected country with 21,645 deaths from 165,155 infections.

It is followed by Spain with 19,130 fatalities from 182,816 confirmed infections, France with 17,167 deaths and 147,863 infections and Britain with 12,868 deaths from 98,476 cases.

China — excluding Hong Kong and Macau — has to date declared 3,342 deaths and 82,341 cases with 77,892 recoveries.

— AFP