Latest on the coronavirus: Global death toll tops 33,000

COVID-19 continues its relentless spread, as the daily number of infections worldwide continues to jump sharply. World Health Organization figures show the increase in new infections is now about 70,000 per day - up from about 50,000 just days ago.

More than 33,000 people have died worldwide.

The U.S. had over 139,000 infections and 2,400 deaths, a running tally by a prominent university showed on March 29 evening.

Europe

  • Italy on March 29 said the death toll climbed by 756 to 10,779, the second successive fall in the daily rate.
  • The country's government will "inevitably" extend beyond April 3 the containment measures it had approved to stem the outbreak, the regional affairs minister said on March 29.
  • Ten more patients have died in Ireland to bring the total death toll to 46, the Department of Health said on March 29. It confirmed 200 new confirmed cases for a total of 2,615.
  • France reported 292 new deaths on March 29, up 13 percent from the previous day and taking the total to 2,606 since March 1. The number of known cases rose to 40,174 from 37,575 a day earlier.
  • Slovenia will further tighten its restrictions on citizens' movements, imposing restrictions on people moving outside their local municipalities from Monday. The country has so far confirmed 730 cases, with 11 deaths.
  • The number of confirmed cases in Germany has risen to 57,298 and 455 people have died of the disease. Cases rose by 4,751, compared with the previous day, while the death toll climbed by 66.
  • Spain prepared to enter its third week under near-total lockdown on March 29, as the government approved a strengthening of measures and the death toll rose to 6,528.
  • Prime Minister Boris...
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