OdishaPlus Bureau

The global COVID-19 cases have almost reached the 17 million mark, while the death tally has gone over 665,000. As of Thursday morning, the total cases stood at 16,957,763, while the fatalities rose to 665,486.

The US recorded the highest cases of affected and deaths respectively at 4,424,806 and 150,676. Brazil follows close behind with 2,552,265 cases and 90,134 fatalities. With the death toll surpassing 90,000, the number of people testing positive-going over 2.5 million, and a record number of new cases emerging in a single day (nearly 70,000).

India ranks third (1,531,669), followed by Russia (827,509), South Africa (471,123), Mexico (408,449), Peru (395,005), Chile (351,575), the UK (303,058), Iran (298,909), Spain (282,641), Pakistan (276,288), Saudi Arabia (272,590), Colombia (267,385), Italy (246,776), Bangladesh (232,194), Turkey (228,924), France (221,077), Germany (208,546), Argentina (178,996), Iraq (118,300), Canada (117,357), Qatar (110,153) and Indonesia (104,432).