Global death toll nears 17,000

Paris: The number of deaths around the world from the novel coronavirus cases stood at 16,961, according to a tally compiled by AFP on Tuesday from official sources.

More than 386,350 declared cases have been registered in 175 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December. The tallies, using data collected by AFP offices from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), likely reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.

Many countries are now only testing cases that require hospitalisation. Italy, which recorded its first coronavirus death in February, now has more fatalities than China with 6,077, as well as having 63,927 declared infections with 7,432 recoveries.

China -- excluding Hong Kong and Macau -- has to date declared 81,171 cases, including 3,277 deaths, with 73,159 people recovered. It reported 78 new cases and seven new fatalities since Monday.

The third worst hit country is Spain with 2,696 fatalities and 39,673 infections, followed by Iran with 1,934 fatalities and 24,811 cases, France with 860 deaths and 19,856 cases, and the United States with 499 deaths and 46,440 cases. Since 1900 GMT on Monday, Myanmar reported its first case.

By continent, Europe has listed 199,779 cases and 10,724 deaths to date, Asia 98,748 cases and 3,570 deaths, the US and Canada together 48,519 cases with 523 deaths, the Middle East 29,087 cases and 1,966 deaths, Latin America and the Caribbean 6,217 cases with 112 deaths, Oceania 2,225 cases with nine deaths and Africa 1,778 cases with 57 deaths.

Iceland confirms first death

Reyjavik: Icelandic health authorities said on Tuesday that a patient in her 60s had died from COVID-19, marking the country's first confirmed death from the new coronavirus.

According to a statement from The National University Hospital of Iceland, the Icelandic woman had also been suffering from a chronic illness. It is the first death from COVID-19 to be confirmed officially.

According to Icelandic media reports, an Australian tourist who was confirmed to have the virus died early last week. But the man's symptoms were not typical of COVID-19 and doctors have yet to determinine the exact cause of death.

The subarctic island nation on Tuesday reported 588 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.