Coronavirus cases top 200,000 worldwide

Tally records 8,000 deaths to date

Confirmed coronavirus cases have topped 200,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.

More than 8,000 people who have tested positive for the virus have died, a tally has found.

Meanwhile, the number of recovered patients around the world has exceeded 82,000, according to the American university’s figures.

The Johns Hopkins Centre for Systems Science and Engineering found that the countries with the most confirmed cases were China, Italy, Iran, Spain and Germany – with the first four joining France in having the greatest number of coronavirus patient deaths.

Covid-19 – a flu-like disease which can turn into pneumonia – was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation last week.

Countries around the world – including France, Spain and Italy – have gone into lockdown as authorities work to battle the spread of the virus.

The British prime minister urged people earlier this week to avoid all non-essential travel and going to social venues, including bars, pubs and clubs.

Nearly 2,000 people have been infected with coronavirus in the UK, with the death toll standing at 71, according to Tuesday’s figures.

The rate of infections in China – where the virus originated in the central city of Wuhan – is slowing, with 99.9 per cent of new cases in the last week being reported elsewhere in the world, according to a Reuters tally.

Italy has been the worst-hit country in Europe, with more than 31,000 confirmed cases and nearly 3,000 deaths.

France and Spain have also gone into lockdown to try and limit the spread of the virus, with people being ordered to stay at home unless it is essential to go outside.

Since the outbreak started towards the end of last year, people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in more than 160 countries and territories.

Additional reporting by agencies