Global Covid caseload tops 281.3 mn, deaths surge over 5.40 million

According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of coronavirus cases worldwide has risen to 281.3 million, while deaths have risen to more than 5.40 million and vaccinations to more than 8.97 billion.

In its latest update Tuesday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll was 281,368,071 and 5,406,197 respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered has risen to 8,972,1162,735.

The US remains the hardest hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 52,785,766 and 818,370, according to the CSSE.

The second worst affected country in terms of cases is India (34,793,333 infections and 479,997 deaths), followed by Brazil (22,249,466 infections and 618,815 deaths).

The other countries with more than 5 million cases are the UK (12,277,814), Russia (10,236,301), Turkey (9,335,193), France (9,251,021), Germany (7,028,398), Iran (6,186. 729), Spain (5,932,626), Italy (5,678,112), Argentina (5,480,305) and Colombia (5,127,971) showed the CSSE figures.

The countries with a death toll over 100,000 are Russia (299,077), Mexico (298,777), Peru (202,524), UK (148,470), Indonesia (144,063), Italy (136,753), Iran (131,434), Colombia (129,798) , France (123,883), Argentina (117,066) and Germany (110,542).