Global coronavirus cases hit 242.4 mln

WASHINGTON – As many as 242,482,541 people are reported to have been infected with the novel coronavirus globally, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) said.
It added that 4,929,545 people have died from the virus worldwide.
The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases at more than 45.3 million, followed by India with the total number of cases hitting 34.1 million.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom; the country most affected by the current wave, recorded 180 deaths and 49,298 cases over the past 24 hours.
This brings the total deaths to 139,326 cases, according to MENA.
In Italy, the Ministry of Health recorded 39 deaths and 3,882 cases during the past 24 hours, bringing the total deaths to 131,763 cases, and infections to 4,733,557 cases.
In Russia, 37,141 new cases were recorded, bringing the total to 8168,305, while the toll reached 228,453 after reporting 1,064 new deaths.
Iran announced 165 new deaths, bringing the toll to 124,928 cases.
It also recorded 11,064 new infections; bringing the total cases to 5,844,589 people.
In Israel, the Ministry of Health said that 983 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed after 83,506 tests were conducted.
This is the first time the daily infection rate has been below 1,000 in three months.