The raging pandemic has forced lockdowns in 35 countries across the globe, disrupting lives, travel and businesses as governments scramble to shut borders and unleash hundreds of billions in emergency measures to avoid a widespread virus-fuelled economic meltdown.

More than 300,000 infections have been confirmed worldwide, with the situation increasingly grim in Italy where the death toll spiked to more than 4,800 - over a third of the global total.

Italy has now reported more deaths than mainland China and third-placed Iran combined, and it has a death rate of 8.6 percent among confirmed Covid-19 infections - significantly higher than in most other countries.

As world leaders have vowed to fight the pandemic, the number of deaths and infections has continued to rise, especially in Europe - the main global hotspot.

Sub-Saharan Africa recorded its second coronavirus death on Friday as infections rose in South Africa, where the government warned bluntly of a long haul in the fight against the disease.

China reported its first local infection in four days on Sunday. While the number of cases in the mainland has slumped dramatically since the crisis began, there are fears of "imported" cases from other hotspots like Europe.

While the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions are the hardest hit by the virus, the WHO has warned that young people are also vulnerable.

The coronavirus has infected more than 1,000 across Africa too, where healthcare systems are limited and social distancing measures - like the ones being adopted in North America and Europe - are difficult in crowded cities.

The Middle East also remains on high alert, where Iran - which suffered a major outbreak - reported 123 new deaths on Saturday. But the Islamic Republic has refused to join the rest of the world in imposing heavy restrictions.

eNCA