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Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world, with more than 2.8 million confirmed cases of coronavirus now in 185 countries. At least 200,000 people have died.

The United States has more than four times as many confirmed cases as any other country.

This series of maps and charts tracks the global outbreak of the virus since it emerged in China in December last year.

How many deaths and recoveries have there been?

The virus, which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19, was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China, in late 2019.

It is spreading rapidly in many countries and the number of deaths is still climbing.

The US has by far the largest number of cases, with more than 900,000 confirmed infections, according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University. This is more than 10 times the official number reported by China.

The US also has the world’s highest death toll, with more than 50,000 fatalities.

Spain, Italy, France and the UK – the worst-hit European countries – have all recorded more than 20,000 deaths.

Note: The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average

In China, the official death toll is just over 4,600 from about 84,000 confirmed cases. Numbers for deaths jumped on 17 April after what officials called “a statistical review”.

Critics of the Chinese government have questioned whether the country’s official numbers can be trusted.

The country’s authorities have now lifted many of the stringent measures they brought in to bring the disease under control, including a ban on all travel to and from Wuhan – the first place to go into lockdown.

After the virus’s discovery late last year, the outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March. This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time.

While more than 2.8 million people are known to have been infected worldwide, the true figure is thought to be much higher as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted.

While some countries are now beginning to ease restrictions where disease peaks are thought to have passed, such as in Europe and South Africa, others are only now starting to impose them as cases and deaths begin to rise.

Across Latin America, where many economies are already struggling and millions live on what they can earn day-to-day, there are concerns about the strain the growing number of virus cases could put on health care systems. Of particular concern are Ecuador and Brazil.

Ecuador has already seen its health system collapse – thousands have died from the virus and other conditions that could not be treated because of the crisis. Mortuaries and morgues have been overwhelmed.

The country’s authorities confirmed on Thursday that the country’s coronavirus case total was twice as high as previously confirmed, with authorities adding 11,000 new infections that resulted from delayed testing. Others suspect the numbers are much higher still.

Brazil has also seen a steep rise in both cases and deaths, with every state in South America’s largest country affected. But there are fears that the country’s official numbers do not reflect the true scale of the crisis.

Cities and local authorities have imposed measures to try to prevent the virus’s spread but Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has come under criticism for his own response, most recently for attending an anti-lockdown rally.

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Across the world, more than 4.5 billion people – half the world’s population – are estimated to be now living under social distancing measures to slow the pandemic, according to the AFP news agency. Among them Muslims beginning to observe the holy month of Ramadan in isolation.

The impact of this global shutdown is huge.

The world economy faces the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the International Monetary Fund has said.

And the UN World Food Programme has warned the pandemic could almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger.

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Europe battling to slow infection rates

Italy and Spain remain the worst affected countries after the US, although the slowing of infection rates appears to show the success of social distancing,

Spain has more than 219,000 confirmed cases – the second highest global figure – while Italy has the second highest death toll of nearly 26,000.

Both countries have been in lockdown since early March, however some quarantine measures are starting to be relaxed.

Italy has started to allow certain shops to reopen and Spanish children, who have been kept indoors at home since 14 March, are expected to be allowed outside from 26 April.

In the UK, there are now more than 148,000 confirmed cases and 20,319 deaths.

Like Spain, deaths in the UK grew rapidly at first, doubling faster than every two days. While the rate of increase has slowed, the British government has ruled out lifting lockdown measures until at least early May.

Other European countries easing restrictions include Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Czech Republic.

Despite this, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the German parliament this was “not the end phase but still just the beginning” and the WHO has warned that lockdowns must be lifted slowly and carefully.

A plan for injecting billions of euros of emergency aid into Europe’s battered economies was agreed by EU heads this week. Meeting via video, they agreed to set up a massive recovery fund to mobilise €1tn of investment.

They also confirmed that €540bn (£470bn) of financial support would be released from 1 June.

New York remains epicentre of US outbreak

With more than 900,000 cases, the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world. The country has also recorded more than 50,000 deaths of people with the virus.

The state of New York has been particularly badly affected, with more than 16,000 deaths in New York City alone.

However, State Governor Andrew Cuomo has said the toll “seems to be on a gentle decline”, with deaths over the first four days of the last week down a third on the same period the week before.

Elsewhere in the US, three states, including Georgia, Oklahoma and Alaska have lifted some of the lockdown restrictions, although customers visiting newly reopened businesses will still be expected to maintain social distancing measures.

Georgia, which has one of the fastest reopening timetables in the country, is allowing bowling alleys, spas, hair and nail salons, as well as tattoo parlours and other personal care businesses to resume operations. From Monday, dine-in restaurants and theatres will also be allowed to open.

The economic ravages of the pandemic were brought into sharp focus on Thursday by official unemployment figures that showed over 26 million Americans have filed for jobless claims in the last five weeks.

The US Congress has passed a relief package totalling $484bn (£391bn), the fourth aid bill to clear Congress in response to the virus outbreak, bringing total federal spending on Covid-19-related help to $3tn.

US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, was criticised by the medical community after suggesting research should be done into whether coronavirus might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body.

Disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested. Even external exposure can be dangerous to the skin, eyes and respiratory system.