Global coronavirus caseload hits 242 million

Gulf Today Report

More than 242,355,857 people have been reported infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 4,929,480 people have died, according to a reputable website https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ tally on Wednesday.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in December 2019.

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India reported 14,623 fresh COVID cases on Wednesday, 12 per cent higher than Tuesday and registered 197 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per Union Health Ministry data.

With the new 197 fatalities, the overall death toll has increased to 4,52,651.

A nurse treats a virus patient. Unvaccinated people are particularly exposed to the virulent Delta strain. File photo

The recovery of 19,446 patients in the last 24 hours has increased the cumulative tally of recovered patients to 3,34,78,247.

Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.15 per cent, currently at its highest peak since March 2020.

Brazil had 12,969 new cases of the novel coronavirus reported in the past 24 hours and 390 deaths from COVID-19, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The South American country has registered 21,664,879 cases since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 603,855, according to ministry data. It is the world's third worst outbreak outside the United States and India and its second-deadliest.

India's recovery rate stands at 98.15 per cent, currently at its highest peak since March 2020. File photo

Italy reported 70 coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday, up from 44 the previous day, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 2,697 from 1,597.

Italy has registered 131,655 deaths linked to COVID-19 since the outbreak in February last year. It has the second highest toll in Europe behind Britain, and the ninth highest in the world. The country has reported 4.72 million cases to date.

Moscow's mayor on Tuesday ordered the city's first coronavirus restrictions since the summer, as Russia registered 1,015 daily COVID deaths, a new record.

At the national level, the government is considering keeping people off work for a week to reduce social contact in a bid to lower the tide of infections.

President Vladimir Putin is expected to decide on Wednesday which government measures put to him should be implemented to curb the spread of the virus across the country.