GENEVA, 12 May 2020:
The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) has exceeded 4 million worldwide, based on data from the UN health agency.
According to the latest statistics from the WHO, confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported to the organisation have reached 4,013,728 as of 7.07pm CET yesterday, including 278,993 deaths.
The US has reported 1,271,645 confirmed cases and 76,916 deaths to the WHO, making it the hardest hit country.
In Spain and Russia, the second and third worst-hit countries in terms of the number of infections, there have been 224,390 and 221,344 cases respectively. The death numbers in the two countries are 26,621 and 2,009, respectively.
Russia has overtaken the UK and Italy with the number of Covid-19 infections, health authorities reported yesterday. Another 11,656 cases were confirmed by Russia in the last 24 hours, of which 46.5% were asymptomatic.
The UL reported 219,187 confirmed cases, ranking the fourth, and Italy, with 219,070 confirmed cases, came the fifth.
Still, Russia has not overtaken these two countries on deaths, despite its 145 million inhabitants.
The UK, home to just under 67 million people, and Italy, which has a population of 60 million, have reported more than 30,000 fatalities each. Russian authorities have reported a total of 2,009 deaths, including 94 confirmed on Sunday.
The number of infections in Russia has more than doubled since April 30, when this figure had just exceeded 100,000.
According to virologists quoted in the local press, this increase in cases was closely linked to a rise in testing, with around 5.5 million reportedly carried out.
Moscow has been at the focus of the pandemic in the country with 115,909 cases, including 6,169 reported in the last 24 hours.
While many European cities have started to gradually de-escalate lockdown measures imposed to slow the spread of infection, Moscovite authorities have postponed this decision, although there is a roadmap for easing restrictions that has been endorsed by the central government.
Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin has extended the lockdown in the capital until May 31, which would see inhabitants complete two months confined in their homes.
The only exceptions are construction and industry workers, who will be able to return to their jobs from today. They have been instructed to wear masks and gloves at all times and maintain a minimum distance at their workplaces.
– Bernama, EFE