Global cases of COVID-19 jumps to 14.4 million; death toll crosses 600,000
Coronavirus cases continue to rise
With some countries battling the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus, and some still struggling with containing the first wave, the number of coronavirus cases seem to be increasing at an alarming stage.
Data compiled by Johns Hopkins University show more than 14 million cases worldwide since the start of the pandemic.
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The total number of cases stood at 14,430,943, while the fatalities rose to 604,725, 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 3,763,395 and 140,477, respectively, according to the CSSE.
Brazil came in second place with 2,098,389 infections and 79,488 deaths.
On Sunday, the number of new cases of coronavirus rose by almost 260,000 in 24 hours -- the largest single-day increase since the pandemic began, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. The surge means that 1 million cases were reported in under 100 hours.
Meanwhile, Clinical trials of Russia's coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology jointly with the Russian Defense Ministry are wrapping up at the Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital, the vaccine is safe and reliable, Sergey Borisevich, the head of the 48th Central Scientific Research Institute of the Russian Defense Ministry, said.
"The clinical trials of the Russian vaccine against the coronavirus are ending at the Burdenko hospital … Today, on July 20, the second and last group of volunteers comprising 20 people is being released from the military hospital," Borisevich told Krasnaya Zvezda, the official newspaper of the Russian Defense Ministry.
(With input from agencies)