Global coronavirus death toll tops 800,000 as nations ramp up restrictions
- Over 23 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been registered since the start of the outbreak
- Latin America is the region the most affected, while more than half the global fatalities have been reported in the United States, Brazil, Mexico and India
The global death toll from the new coronavirus has surpassed 800,000, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally, with numerous countries ramping up restrictions in an effort to battle an eruption of new cases.
Western Europe, particularly Spain, Italy Germany and France, has been hit with infection levels not seen in many months, sparking fears of a fully-fledged second wave.
And in Asia, South Korea became the latest country to announce it would boost restrictions to try to stem a new outbreak, after largely bringing the virus under control.
Across the world, the number of deaths has doubled to just over 800,000 since June 6, with 100,000 fatalities in the last 17 days alone, while more than 23 million cases have been reported.
Latin America is the region the most affected, while more than half the global fatalities have been reported in the hardest-hit United States, Brazil, Mexico and India.
The surging numbers come after the UN health agency said Friday that the world should be able to rein in the pandemic in less than two years.