NEW YORK: The global death toll from the novel coronavirus has climbed over 177,704.
More than 2.5 million declared cases have been registered in 210 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. Of these cases, at least 696,104 are now considered recovered.
In the United States, nearly 819,175 cases were confirmed, including more than 45,343 deaths. The US reported an increase of 2,804 deaths in the past 24 hours.
Italy, which recorded its first coronavirus death at the end of February, has 24,648 fatalities, with 534 people succumbing to the disease in the last 24 hours.
Spain has recorded 21,282 fatalities with 430 in a single day and 204,178 infections. China excluding Hong Kong and Macau has to date declared 4,632 deaths and 82,788 cases, with 77,151 recoveries.
France has reported 531 deaths in a single day, taking the tally to 20,796 deaths and 158,050 cases. The United Kingdom has reported 828 deaths during the last 24 hours, 17,337 fatalities, and 129,044 infections.
Meanwhile, the death toll is 5,297 in Iran as a confirmed number of cases is almost 84,802. The total number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 20,471 by Wednesday, with 652 of them dead.
The outbreak has been declared an epidemic in more than a dozen states and union territories. Many commercial establishments have been shut down.
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