In Pics | How coronavirus has spread across the world

The global death toll due to the coronavirus pandemic is rapidly inching closer to the one-million mark. It currently stands at 9,82,969. The pandemic has infected over 31.99 million people across the globe. Over 2.2 million people have recovered after testing positive. Here's an AFP report on how coronavirus has spread across the world.

On January 11, the first coronavirus death was officially recorded in China. Eight months after the identification of the disease that appeared in Wuhan in December 2019, the world is on the brink of recording one million deaths. The Sars-CoV-2 virus which causes the illness known as Covid-19 first spread rapidly in China, particularly in the province of Wuhan. In the space of one month, the country recorded one thousand deaths. Credit: Reuters

That initial toll was worse than the total number of deaths caused by earlier acute respiratory syndrome SARS, which circulated in Asia in 2002-2003 and led to 774 fatalities. Countries and territories outside continental China were relatively untouched at that point but the virus was already starting to circulate there. Credit: AFP Photo

The Philippines registered its first case on February 2 and Hong Kong two days later, followed by Japan and France on February 13 and 14. In February cases soared. By March 11, when the WHO declared the new coronavirus a

The number of people dying every day in Europe and the United States rose swiftly up until mid-April, reaching peaks in the second week of more than 4,000 and 2,700 average daily deaths respectively. Today the United States remains the hardest-hit country for deaths, with over 2 lakh recorded. Credit: AFP Photo

On a global scale, the deadliest week was April 13 to 19 when more than 7,460 coronavirus deaths were officially reported every day. Since the start of June, the average number of deaths per day has hovered around 5,000. From July 15 to August 15, recorded deaths in the region did not drop below an average of 2,500 per day. Credit: AFP Photo

Brazil became the country with the most deaths in total after the United States (more than 138,000). Taking into account the size of their populations, Peru (958 deaths per one million inhabitants), Bolivia (659), Brazil (650), Chile (644) and Ecuador (630), are among the 10 worst-affected countries worldwide, alongside European countries like Belgium (859) and Spain (661). Credit: AFP Photo

In Asia, where the toll was lower than 100 deaths per day up until mid-April, fatalities have been steadily increasing. The continent has exceeded 1,000 deaths per day almost continually since July 20 and is today approaching 1,500. Credit: Reuters Photo

Cases are also rising again in Europe, reinforcing concerns about a possible second wave. New cases on the continent are around 20 percent higher this week than last and deaths are up 28 percent at 614. Fatalities are also increasing again in the Middle East. Credit: Reuters

According to official statistics, Africa has been less affected than other continents: deaths have been falling since August. In Oceania, meanwhile, the average daily number of deaths has never exceeded two dozen. Credit: Reuters Photo