Global Covid-19 cases top 38m

The overall number of global coronavirus cases has topped 38 million, while the deaths have soared to 1,087,398, according to the worldometer tally.

As of Tuesday night, the total number of cases stood at 38,192,930.

The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 7,803,884 and 214,063 respectively, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

India comes in second place in terms of cases at 7,120,538, while the country's death toll soared to 109,150, report agencies.

The other top 15 countries with the maximum amount of cases are Brazil (5,103,408), Russia (1,305,093), Colombia (919,083), Argentina (903,730), Spain (888,968), Peru (849,371), Mexico (821,045), France (776,097), South Africa (693,359), the UK (620,458), Iran (504,281), Chile (482,832), Iraq (405,437), Bangladesh (379,738), and Italy (359,569), the Johns Hopkins University figures showed.

Meanwhile, governments across Europe ratcheted up restrictions on Tuesday in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus as the continent recorded its highest weekly number of new infections since the start of the pandemic.

The World Health Organisation said there were more than 700,000 new Covid-19 cases reported in Europe last week, a jump of 34 per cent compared to the previous week, with Britain, France, Russia and Spain accounting for more than half of new infections recorded in the region.

The increasing case numbers in Europe are partly the result of more testing, but the UN health agency noted that deaths were also up 16 per cent in the region last week compared to the previous week. Doctors are also warning that while many new cases currently affect younger people, who tend to have milder symptoms, the median age could rise again, resulting in more serious illnesses in elderly populations.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte ordered bans on pickup sports games among friends and parties in closed spaces. Private gatherings at homes with more than six people who don't live together are also discouraged.

Like other European countries, Italy is also limiting nightlife, with bars and restaurants having to close at midnight, and drinking while standing at a bar banned after 9:00pm.