Worldwide coronavirus cases top 12 million
- Infections took 149 days to hit six million, but only 39 days to double to current figure
- US total has passed 3 million, and accounts for more than quarter of global cases
Global coronavirus cases have passed 12 million, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, as evidence mounts of the airborne spread of the disease that has killed more than half a million people in seven months.
The number of cases is triple that of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Many hard-hit countries were easing lockdowns put in place to slow the spread of the novel virus, while others, such as China and Australia, implemented another round of shutdowns in response to a resurgence in infections. Experts say alterations to work and social life could last until a vaccine is available.
The first case was reported in China in early January and it took 149 days to hit 6 million cases. It has taken less than a third of that time – just 39 days – to double to 12 million cases, the tally shows.
01:48
Worldwide reported coronavirus infections top 12 million
There have been nearly 550,000 deaths linked to the virus so far, within the same range as the number of yearly influenza deaths reported worldwide. The first death was reported on January 10 in Wuhan, China before infections and fatalities surged in Europe and then later in the United States.
