Global COVID-19 caseload surpasses 400 mil.

전 세계 코로나19 확진 4억명…누적 사망자는 578만명 The total number of coronavirus infections around the world surpassed the 400 million-mark. And while countries in Asia see record highs, parts of Europe and the U.S. are easing restrictions with their daily tally declining. Kim Cheong-ah has the latest. According to World-o-meter, global COVID-19 cases have surpassed the 400 million-mark, with 100 million infections occurring in the past month alone,... driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The death toll is now hovering above 5.7 million. The U.S. has reported the most cases, followed by India, Brazil and France while the death toll is again led by the U.S... followed by Brazil then India and Russia. In Asia, numerous countries are seeing record highs. Japan reported 159 new deaths on Tuesday - a new daily record, while Hong Kong will revert back to its most stringent restrictions amid record new infections on Tuesday at 625,... which will include capping gatherings to just two people. "Today, we are in a severe pandemic situation. I hope that the public will accept that we have to go back to the most stringent level of restrictions." However in Europe, it's a different atmosphere. Italy is to ease its mask mandate for more outdoor spaces starting Friday in response to an improving coronavirus situation. Spain will also take a similar route this week while France ended its outdoor mask mandate a week ago. France, Greece and Portugal have relaxed COVID-19 travel restrictions, no longer requiring negative test results for fully vaccinated travelers. In the U.S., the states of New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, California and Oregon have said they plan to lift indoor mask mandates for schools and other public places in the coming weeks... due to a trend of fewer cases being reported. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reiterated its careful stance on masking guidance... as the U.S. is still averaging more than 300,000 new daily infections. Average deaths appear to be plateauing at around 2,400 per day. "Right now, our CDC guidance has not changed. We have and continue to recommend masking in areas of high and substantial transmission that is essentially everywhere in the country in public indoor settings." Meanwhile the World Health Organization has said that the global initiative to get COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines to poorer nations is (quote) "running on fumes" amid budget shortfalls,… saying it has only received 5 percent of the donations needed to deliver on its aims this year. Kim Cheong-ah, Arirang News. #COVID19 #infection #measures 📣 Arirang News(Facebook) :   / arirangtvnews   📣 Arirang News(Twitter) :   / arirangtvnews   📣 News Center(YouTube) :    / newscenter_arirangtv   2022-02-09, 22:00 (KST)