WHO reports largest 24-hour increase in coronavirus cases

The WHO has reported the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases by its count, at more than 183,000 new cases in the latest 24 hours.

Iran PressEurope: The UN health agency says Brazil led the way with 54,771 cases tallied and the US next at 36,617. Over 15,400 came in in India.

Experts say rising case counts can reflect multiple factors including more widespread testing as well as broader infection.

Italy's Health Ministry is asking government advisers to evaluate new World Health Organization recommendations that people with COVID-19 can come out of isolation even before they test negative for the virus, AP news agency reported.

Italy on Sunday reported 224 new coronavirus cases and 24 deaths in the past day, bringing the country's official death toll in the pandemic to 34,634.

Germany's coronavirus reproduction rate has jumped to 2.88, up from 1.79 a day earlier, health authorities said, a rate showing infections are rising above the level needed to contain the disease over the longer term.

To keep the pandemic under control, Germany needs the reproduction rate to drop below one. The rate of 2.88, published by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for public health, means that out of 100 people who contract the virus, a further 288 people will get infected.

Saudi Arabia has ended a nationwide coronavirus curfew and lifted restrictions on businesses, including hair salons and cinemas, after three months of stringent curbs, despite a spike in infections. 

The number of deaths in France from COVID-19 has risen by seven from the previous day to stand at 29,640 said the country's national health service on Sunday.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 284 to 160,377.

The global death toll is 470,703 with 9,046,080 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization.

COVID-19 was first detected in China's Wuhan in late December and has since spread across the world. 

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