Global Covid cases top 15.4 mn

Washington DC: The total number of global Coronavirus cases has topped 15.4 million, while the deaths have increased to over 631,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Friday morning, the total number of cases stood at 15,439,456, while the fatalities rose to 631,926, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The US accounted for the world's highest number of infections and fatalities at 4,034,831 and 144,242, respectively, according to the CSSE.

Brazil came in the second place with 2,287,475 infections and 84,082 deaths.

In terms of cases, India ranks third (1,238,798), and is followed by Russia (793,720), South Africa (408,052), Peru (371,096), Mexico (370,712), Chile (334,683), the UK (298,721), Iran (284,034), Spain (270,166), Pakistan (269,191), Saudi Arabia (260,394), Italy (245,338), Turkey (223,315), Colombia (218,428), France (216,667), Bangladesh (216,110), Germany (204,881), Argentina (148,027), Canada (114,398), Qatar (108,244) and Iraq (102,226), the CSSE figures showed.

The other countries with over 10,000 deaths are the UK (45,639), Mexico (41,908), Italy (35,092), France (30,185), India (29,861), Spain (28,429), Iran (15,074), Peru (17,654) and Russia (12,873).

Pakistan reported 1,209 new Coronavirus cases on Friday, taking the nation-wide tally of infections to 270,400.

In the last 24 hours, 54 virus-related deaths have been reported, the Ministry of National Health Services said. A total of 5,763 people have died of COVID-19 in Pakistan, it said.

Out of the total cases, 115,883 are from Sindh, followed by 91,423 cases in Punjab, 32,898 cases in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 14,766 cases in Islamabad, 11,523 cases in Balochistan, 1,989 cases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and 1,918 cases in Gilgit-

Baltistan.

Singapore reported 277 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, mostly foreign workers living in dormitories, taking the nationwide tally to 49,375, the health ministry said.

The new cases include five from the community- two Singaporeans (citizens) or permanent residents (foreigners) and three foreigners holding work passes but staying outside the dorms, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The rest of the cases comprised of migrant workers living in dormitories, it said.

With this, the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 49,375, it said.