Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has shut down global travel, trashed global economies and become one of the world’s biggest killers. Here’s how the pandemic has spread worldwide.
The COVID-19 pandemic began in China (Wuhan province) in late 2019, where 84,596 people were reportedly infected, resulting in at least 4,634 deaths.
It has since spread rapidly to 213 countries and territories, sparking wider precautionary measures as the death toll eclipsed that of SARS two decades ago.
Although the deadly virus started in China, it soon ravaged Italy, Iran and Spain.
But the United States surpassed each of them with the highest reported coronavirus death toll of more than 179,200 by late August.
A staggering 5.8 million confirmed cases have been reported across the US.
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Brazil (113,454 deaths), Mexico (59,610), India (55,928) and the UK (41,405 deaths) have also recorded grim milestones.
New Zealand is one of a small number of jurisdictions – including mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Mongolia, Australia and Fiji – pursuing COVID-19 containment or elimination.
New Zealand (22 deaths) actually has the lowest COVID-19 death rate in the OECD, with the last case of community transmission reported on May 1. That has allowed the country to return to near-normal operation.
In Australia (485 deaths), where the virus also appeared to be contained, there’s been a resurgence since June, mainly in the southern state of Victoria, and its capital Melbourne, linked to returning travellers in hotel quarantine.
By August 22, there were 17,852 cases reported in Victoria and 385 deaths – the most of any state in the country, leaving it virtually isolated from the rest of Australia.
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These statistics are updated at regular intervals. Last updated August 22, 2020.
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