COVID-19: Global cases reach 5 Million

The number of infections worldwide has doubled over the past month.

The landmark figure was reached on Thursday (May 21, 2020), almost five months after the first reported case in the Chinese city of Wuhan last December.

The U.S. accounts for almost a third of the cases, followed by Russia. Brazil, one of the latest hot spots, is the third country with the highest number of cases.

Brazil's could soon have the second-highest number of cases in the world as the country’s Health Ministry reported 888 new deaths and nearly 20,000 new infections in a single day. This increased the total number of cases to 291,579 and almost 19,000 deaths.

According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University over 328,000 people have died globally while nearly 1.9 million people have recovered.

Cases in China have reduced. Meanwhile, Wuhan, where the global coronavirus pandemic originated, has banned hunting, breeding, and human consumption of wild animals.

In Europe cases recorded continue to rise but at a slower daily rate.

Iran, the first country in the Middle East to confirm a case on February 19, remains the worst hit in the region.

In Africa, South Africa is the worst hit with over 18,000 cases and 339 deaths.