Global coronavirus deaths hit 900,000: Here's latest news on the spread of virus

The global death toll from the novel coronavirus has passed 900,000 and worldwide cases topped 27.7 million. The US remains the world’s worst-affected country, with over 190,000 deaths and cases exceeding 6.3 million. Brazil is in second place with more than 128,000 deaths followed by India with over 75,000 dead.

On Thursday, India saw a record single-day spike of 95,735 infections and 1,172 fatalities taking its COVID-19 caseload past 44 lakh. The country overtook Brazil as the second country worst-hit by coronavirus earlier this week. As the epicentre of the pandemic shifts to India, there is no sign of a peak in the world’s second most populous nation. 

It is adding more cases each day than any other country since the onset at the start of the year. It is recording more deaths than any other country - an average of more than 1,000 daily for the last two weeks.

LATIN AMERICA

The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths in Latin America passed 300,000 on Wednesday, with the virus showing no signs of abating in the world's worst hit region. Latin America passed the latest grim milestone after Brazil, which has the highest death toll in the region, reported an additional 1,075 deaths to bring its coronavirus tally to 128,539 fatalities.

The Americas still account for more than half of all fatalities worldwide owing to high death counts in Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador.

The rate of deaths is holding steady taking 18 days to climb from 800,000 to 900,000 deaths. It took 17 days to go from 700,000 to 800,000.

India’s fatality rate is around 1%, while Brazil and the United States have mortality rates of around 3%, in line with the world average. While both deaths and cases in the US are down from a July peak, cases are rising in about 40% of the country, exacerbated in part by a return of students to college towns.

EUROPE

As cases rebound in parts of Europe, countries have recently seen single-day records in new cases similar to those seen during the spring, signaling a second wave is underway.

France's daily new COVID-19 infections rose by more than 8,500 for the third time in six days on Wednesday, with the disease spreading at its fastest pace since it emerged in the country.

The sharp rise of almost 3,000 new cases in the UK over the weekend was the highest jump since May, prompting a ban on gatherings of more than six people as prime minister Boris Johnson tries to control the spike.

The UK, which has the fifth-highest death toll of 41,594, has a 14-day quarantine for returners from European holiday destinations such as some Greek islands, France, Croatia and Spain which are experiencing similar spikes.

Spain was the first country in western Europe to record more than half a million cases on Monday and now has 552,000 total infections.

The first death linked to COVID-19 was reported on January 10 in Wuhan, China, after the coronavirus first emerged there in December.