Global coronavirus deaths pass 150,000

World coronavirus deaths surged past 150,000 Friday as US President Donald Trump accused China of continuing to cover up its toll, even after Beijing revised figures sharply upward for Wuhan, the original epicenter of the global pandemic.

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Global virus cases hit 2m; 2,569 US deaths in one day

COVID-19 fatalities mounted in the United States and hard-hit Western Europe countries, but fresh data on rising infections and deaths in Africa showed the virus is leaving no continent uscathed in its global march.

Medical workers in overalls stretch a patient under intensive care at the Gemelli hospital in Rome. AFP

More than half of humanity — 4.5 billion people — were confined to their homes, with evidence mounting of social distancing's success in slowing the pandemic.

But widespread nervousness remained over when and how to ease confinement measures to revive the world economy, battered by what the International Monetary Fund has dubbed the "Great Lockdown."

2.2 million cases worldwide

More than 2.2 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 193 countries and territories, according to figures collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO).

US President Donald Trump poses for the media photographers in White House, Washington. File photo

The figures probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections however, because many countries are testing only the most serious cases.

For example, a new Stanford University study testing Silicon Valley residents for viral antibodies suggested that the true number of COVID-19 infections was at least 50 times higher than the official figure.

The daily number of confirmed deaths across the globe remained high at over 8,800. Out of more than 150,000 total deaths since the outbreak erupted, the United States has recorded 36,773, Italy 22,745, Spain 19,478 and France 18,681.

Illustrating the increasing threat in countries less in focus, Africa reported its 1,000th death on Friday.

Agence France-Presse