The world recorded its biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases over the weekend, in a grim reminder that the pandemic is far from over.
Although some regions are showing clear progress in containing the disease – with infections slowing in China and South Korea – the number of new Covid-19 cases has soared globally in recent days.
In Brazil, Iraq, India and the United States, hospitals are struggling to cope.
Nearly nine million people have been infected and more than 468,000 people have died so far, according to figures compiled by John Hopkins University.
Experts say the actual numbers are much higher, in light of testing limits and asymptomatic cases which can be almost impossible to trace.
On Sunday, the World Health Organisation reported the largest single-day increase in cases, with more than 183,000 confirmed in 24 hours.
Brazil, at 54,771, saw the most new infections, followed by the US at 36,617, while India reported 15,400, the health agency said.
Even New Zealand, which earlier said it had eliminated local transmissions of the virus, reported two new cases on Monday among people arriving from India and Pakistan.
The country of five million people now has nine active cases after having none at all earlier this month.
Experts say rising case counts reflect multiple factors including more testing and spreading infections.
More than two-thirds of the new deaths were reported in North and South America.
However, in east Asia there were signs of optimism as South Korea confirmed just 17 new cases – the first time its daily rise dropped below 20 in almost a month.
Elsewhere in Asia, Beijing’s increase was in single digits for the first time in eight days – with just nine new cases confirmed in the Chinese capital.
