The global COVID-19 cases has risen above 12.3 million after 219,983 new positive tests were reported worldwide over the past 24 hours, the World Health Orgzation (WHO) said on Saturday.
The latest rise to the case total is slightly below the 228,102 new positive tests confirmed by the WHO in its daily statistical bulletin on Friday.
According to the orgzation, 132,683 new positive tests were reported in the United States and a further 69,184 new cases were also confirmed in Brazil.
The global coronavirus disease death toll rose by 5,286 over the preceding 24 hours to 556,335, the WHO said. The corresponding rise to the death toll on Friday was 5,565.
On Friday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the launch of the orgzation's new Access Initiative for Quitting Tobacco, which aims to help more than one billion people worldwide stop smoking amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (Sputnik/)
( With inputs from ANI )