Global COVID-19 cases top 10.8mn; UN chief warns of impacts on peace, security

UNITED NATIONS: The overall number of global COVID-19 cases has increased to over 10.8 million, while the deaths have soared to more than 520,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Friday morning, the total number of cases increased to 10,842,615, while the fatalities stood at to 520,785, the University’s Centre for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The US accounted for the world’s highest number of infections and fatalities with 2,739,230 and 128,743. Brazil came in the second place with 1,496,858 infections and 61,884 deaths.

Amid this, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reminded the Security Council of the multi-faceted implications of COVID-19 on international peace and security.

“The pandemic continues to profoundly affect peace and security across the globe,” he told the Security Council on Thursday. “The risks are diverse.”

The consequences can be seen even in a number of countries traditionally seen as stable. But the impacts are apparent in countries already experiencing conflict or emerging from it — and may soon engulf others, he said.

Tensions are rising as a result of the severe socio-economic fallout of the crisis. Trust in public institutions is being eroded further in places where people perceive that authorities have not addressed the pandemic effectively or have not been transparent about its impact, said Guterres.