The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported a record daily increase in global coronavirus cases, the total rising by 228,102 in 24 hours.
The biggest rises were in the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa, according to its daily report.
The previous WHO record for new cases was 212,326 on Saturday.
Deaths remained steady at about 5,000.
Global coronavirus cases exceed 12.3 million, according to Johns Hopkins University, and 556,383 people have died of it in seven months.
In the US, a member of Joe Biden’s coronavirus task force has predicted that up to 250,000 people in the US will die directly from the virus before the end of the year.
France on Friday became the sixth country to report a total death toll of more than 30,000, with the number of new confirmed cases above 600 for the third day in a row.
The UK still has the world’s third-highest death tally, after the US and Brazil, and ahead of Italy.
The WHO said two of its experts were going to China to meet fellow scientists to learn about the progress made in understanding the animal “reservoir” for Covid-19 and how the disease jumped between animals and humans.
Additional reporting by agencies
