On Thursday, Italy reported 427 new fatalities due to novel coronavirus. Thus, the Covid-19 death toll in Italy has touched 3,405, as against China's 3,245 deaths. The southern European nation registered the highest number of new cases, i.e. 5,322, bringing the total number of cases to 41,035.
Covid-19 pandemic scenario throughout the world
The day Italy's death toll surpassed China's, the Asian nation, where the disease originated and served as its epicenter for two long months, reported no new domestic cases of the disease. For two days straight the country hasn't witnessed any new domestic cases of Covid-19. The total tally of which stands at 81,193, according tally by John Hopkins University.
The total number of cases in the US reached 14,250 along with 217 deaths. On Thursday, US President Donald Trump lashed out at China, for its lack of transparency. "It could have been contained to that one area of China where it started. And certainly the world is paying a big price for what they did", Trump said, AFP reported.
Millions could die, UN chief
France reported 108 new deaths in single day, bringing its number of fatalities 372 and 10,995 cases. Iran, the hardest-hit west Asian nation has witnessed 18,407 cases and 1,284 fatalities.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, warned that, "if we let the virus spread like wildfire, especially in the most vulnerable regions of the world, it would kill millions of people". On Thursday, sub-Saharan Africa reported its first fatality, in the West Asian nation of Burkina Faso. Russia, too reported its first Covid-19 death, on Thursday.
Steps taken by nations to deal with Covid-19 pandemic
California, home to 39 million people, was placed under complete lock-down, on Thursday, becoming the first American state to take such a drastic measure.
As Italy's death toll surpassed China's, the country's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, extended the country-wide lock-down, till April 3.
France also announced that it would extend its two-weeks lock-down.
Argentina announced a "preventative and compulsory" lockdown from March 20 to March 31.
British PM Boris Johnson urged people for social-distancing, while several nations have ordered restaurants, cafes and tourist sites to remain shut.
