Coronavirus outbreak: Worldwide cases cross 3.5 million, death toll at 248,291

The novel coronavirus cases jumped to 3.5 million worldwide as of on May 4, and over 248,304 total fatalities were recorded, while 1,156,982 were reported to have been recovered, as per reports. Europe is the continent worst impacted with more than 1.5 million cases and over 143,000 fatalities. The United States accounts for over 1.1 million cases and 68,600 deaths. 

As many countries in the European region begin to ease the restrictions and reopen economy, Italy's head of the coronavirus pandemic strategy signalled that the countries needed to “prepare” for the second wave of infections “even bigger than the first” if the reopening leads to a fresh outbreak, as per the reports.   

According to reports, while Italy in the European continent saw the highest death toll with 28,884 fatalities from the pandemic, Domenico Arcuri reportedly told the lower Chamber of Deputies that at least 20 regions across the country needed to revamp the ventilators up by twice now. Further, he warned that the beds, that had nearly doubled to 9,000 needed to increase in infectious disease and pneumology wards as the European country prepared to reopen on May 4.   

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UK’s toll edging closer to Italy

Meanwhile, the death toll in Spain reportedly soared to 25,264 as of May 4 as locals ventured for the first time in two months outside as the coronavirus confinement measures were eased. At least 276 patients succumbed to the disease in the past 24 hours, health officials confirmed, as per media reports. The confirmed cases climbed to 247,122, from the previous 215,216. The stay-at-home orders that had been imposed for over 50 days to stem the disease, were eased to allow the residents to do outdoor activities. In Madrid, however, parks and gardens were still closed as the police attempted to deviate the public from exercising in those areas, confirmed media reports. 

In the UK, however, the death toll spiked to 28,446 from the novel coronavirus in the hospitals, care homes and the wider community in a one-day surge by 315 the latest government figures revealed. UK’s toll was now edging closer to that in Italy, one of the worst-hit countries, as per media reports.  

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