Coronavirus cases and deaths are now higher outside of China than inside, figures show, as the global death toll soars past 6,600 today.
Recorded cases across 152 countries have now reached almost 90,000 compared with China’s 80,900 – an additional 8,000 or so more.
For a long time, China made up the majority of cases, as the deadly bug emerged in the city of Wuhan in December 2019.
But as COVID-19 rapidly spread globally in a matter of weeks, Europe has now become the ‘new epicentre’, the World Health Organisation says.
Italy is nearing 23,000 confirmed cases, making it the worst affected by the disease outside of China, followed by South Korea and Iran.
Italy has rapidly become the worst affected country outside China, with more than 24,700 cases. Pictured, men in masks transport a coffin in Bergamo
Iran is struggling to contain the worst outbreak in the Middle East, as Monday saw the biggest one-day rise in the death toll since the epidemic began, taking the total to 853. Pictured, Iranian Firefighters disinfect streets in an effort to stop the wild spread of coronavirus COVID-19 in Tehran, Iran, on March 13
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is today facing mounting pressure for a dramatic escalation of the government’s coronavirus response. Pictured, a religious street preacher alongside protesters wearing hazmat from a group called ‘Pause the System’ outside Downing Street
Since COVID-19 was first detected in December, more than 170,400 people have been infected, 80,955 of which are in China.
The nation makes up 47 per cent of the total cases, while Europe accounts for a third of cases, with more than 58,000.
Some 77,200 of the global total have recovered, according to John Hopkins University data.
Coronavirus cases peaked in China in mid-February, when the country was recording around 3,500 new cases a day. This dramatically slowed, with only 27 new cases recorded yesterday.
Meanwhile, Europe is in the grips of a crisis as cases reach record-breaking levels every day.
Italy has suffered the most grave outcomes outside of China, with more than 24,700 cases reported.
China has reportedly sent a flight to Milan, Italy to pick up citizens and overseas students, state-run CCTV reported, a dramatic turn around on the repatriation flights from China of international citizens in January.
Following Italy, Spain is the second hardest hit in Europe and fourth worldwide. The country has more than 8,700 cases and is now under a state of emergency.
Some 47million people have been under partial lockdown in Spain since Saturday night, and more than 1,000 troops have been deployed in the streets.
Iran is struggling to contain the most serious outbreak in the Middle East, as Monday saw the biggest one-day rise in the death toll since the epidemic began, taking the total to 853.
With almost 15,000 cases, Iran has the highest number of people with COVID-19 after China and Italy.
‘Our plea is that everyone take this virus seriously and in no way attempt to travel to any province,’ health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said in a televised news conference.
German Federal police officers check vehicles at the closed border to France
Shoppers form long queues ahead of the opening of a Costco wholesale store in Chingford, London. There are currently 1391 diagnosed cases in the UK and 35 deaths
Countries have followed draconian measures that have appeared to successfully curb the epidemic in China, such as whole-nation lock downs and the closure of schools, transport networks and tourist attractions.
Governments are limiting travel – both inward and outward – to halt the movement of people and therefore infection.
However, the extent to which these dramatic interventions work to stem the pandemic are yet to be officially revealed.
The UK, with 1,391 currently diagnosed and 35 dead, has been slow to follow suit. The Government ministers claim to be ‘following the science’.
However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is today facing mounting pressure for a dramatic escalation of the government’s coronavirus response.
The US has stepped up its response, after The Centres for Disease Control has said events with 50 people or more should not take place for eight weeks, following the move to close restaurants bars and cafes in various individual states.
The coronavirus pandemic, labelled as such by the World Health Organisation, means the new disease is spreading around the world beyond expectations.
It began in Wuhan city in December last year, when several cases of pneumonia caused by an unknown bug were reported by China to the WHO.
Several of the initial cases worked at the city’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, which was shut down on January 1. The virus is therefore known to have come from an animal source.
Now, the world is facing what health officials have labelled as the worst public health crisis of a generation.
Knock-on effects of the virus’s unprecedented global takeover has seen airlines and businesses on the brink of collapse, sparking fears of a global recession.
The FTSE 100 plunged yet again today as it fell nearly eight per cent despite global central banks slashing interest rates after one of the worst weeks in its history.