Italy reports 793 deaths in a day, taking its toll to 4,825, while cities across US and UK are put under total lockdown.
The death toll from the new coronavirus has surpassed 5,000 in Europe, with Italy, Spain and Germany reporting a steep rise in infections.
Worldwide deaths surged past 11,000 on Saturday, according to data collected by the Johns Hopkins University in the United States. More than 277,000 people have been infected, while some 88,000 have recovered.
Italy announced 793 more deaths on Saturday, the second day in a row of the biggest day-to-day increase in the country’s four-week epidemic, after surpassing China’s death toll on Thursday. The total number of deaths in Italy has now reached 4,825.
Spain’s death toll has also increased to more than 1,300, while in Iran, the number of deaths hit another grim milestone of 1,500 as the country marks the beginning of the Persian New Year.