COVID-19 updates: WHO reports record daily rise in cases; global infections pass 8.9mn

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases, since the pandemic started around the globe early this year.

The UN health agency said more than 183,000 new cases were detected around the world on Sunday, with the biggest increase coming from North and South America where there were over 116,000 new infections.

Brazil has been leading the way over the 24-hour period, with some 54,771 cases.

The United States was the second with 36,617 reported daily cases.

A former US Food and Drug Administration commissioner has warned that the country could start to see an “exponential” rise in coronavirus cases this coming week, in some states, including Texas, Florida and Arizona.

Over 15,000 cases were also reported in India.

Across the globe, some 8,928,652 people have been infected and 467,670 others lost their lives to the virus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The following is the latest on the coronavirus pandemic over the past 24 hours:

Brazil officially passes 50,000 deaths

Brazil, the world’s second hotspot for the new virus, reported a total of 1,085,038 confirmed cases and 50,617 deaths, up from 49,976 on Saturday, the Health Ministry said Sunday.

Experts however say the true numbers are much higher because of a lack of widespread testing in the country.

Nevertheless, the nation’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro keeps denying the threat of the epidemic, calling lockdown measures more dangerous than the virus itself.

China reports new cases

China reported 18 new cases of the disease, 9 of them in the capital Beijing, the National Health Commission said on Monday.

The figure compared with 26 infections a day earlier, 22 of which were in Beijing.

Authorities are stepping up restrictive measures in the capital to prevent the virus from further spreading.

New Zealand extends border bans

New Zealand says it would extend a ban on cruise ship arrivals, as new cases emerge of people arriving in the country with COVID-19.

“While the world enters this dangerous new phase, we remain in a phase of border containment,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.

Her government is also introducing stricter measures at borders as more citizens access increased flights to return home.

Ardern declared her country free from the pandemic earlier this month, but it lost the COVID-free status last week, when two infected people were let out of a quarantine center.

Germany sees surge in contagion

The virus reproduction rate jumped to 2.88 in Germany on Sunday, up from 1.79 a day earlier, health authorities said.

This means that out of 100 people who contract the virus, a further 288 people will get infected.

To keep the pandemic under control, the country needs the reproduction rate to drop below one.

The rise in infections also brings with it the possibility of renewed restrictions on activity in Europe’s largest economy.

Italy reports 24 new deaths

Italy, Europe’s worst-hit country, reported 24 deaths related to the virus on Sunday.

The daily tally of new cases reached 224 from 262 on Saturday, according to the Civil Protection Agency.

The country’s death toll now stands at 34,634, the agency said. The number of confirmed cases amounts to 238,499.