China still has the highest tally, but Italy and the U.S. aren't far behind.
March 26, 2020, 8:23 AM
3 min read
A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 21,000 people around the world, including at least 1,000 in the United States.
Spain's death toll has eclipsed that of China where the new respiratory virus, known officially as COVID-19, was first detected back in December. Spain's count of over 3,600 deaths is now second only to that of Italy, where more than 7,500 people have died from the virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Worldwide, there are more than 472,000 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, spanning every continent except Antarctica. With more than 69,000 cases, the United States has the third-highest national total behind Italy and China. The virus has rapidly spread across every U.S. state as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. At least 114,000 people around the world have recovered from COVID-19.
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Today's biggest developments:
Diagnosed cases approach half a million worldwide US death toll at 1,050 A third of the world's population is on coronavirus lockdownHere's how the news is developing today. All times Eastern. Please refresh this page for updates.
3:30 a.m. Diagnosed cases approach half a million worldwide
The number of diagnosed cases worldwide of the novel coronavirus will likely reach half a million in the coming days, the latest data from Johns Hopkins University shows.
China still has the highest tally with more than 81,000 diagnosed cases, but Italy isn't far behind with over 74,000. The U.S. count is approaching 70,000.
Medical workers wearing protective gear work at an intensive care unit for patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus at Erasmus Hospital in Brussels on March 25, 2020, during a national lockdown in Belgium to curb the spread of the virus.
Medical workers wearing protective gear work at an intensive care unit for patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus at Erasmus Hospital in Brussels on March 25, 2020, during a national lockdown in Belgium to curb the spread of the virus.Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images
Meanwhile, the global death toll topped 21,000 on Thursday, with Italy and Spain as the two worst-affected countries.
A third of the world's population is under some kind of coronavirus-related movement restrictions as governments scramble to contain the spread of the disease.
What to know about the novel coronavirus: How it started and how to protect yourself: coronavirus explained What to do if you have symptoms: coronavirus symptomsTracking the spread in the US and worldwide: coronavirus map
