At least 26,299,338 people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 867,401 people have died, a Reuters tally showed.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

The World Health Organization referred to the outbreak as a pandemic on March 11.

New infections have fallen in the United States for six weeks, while cases in India have surged in recent days as Asia's worst-hit country closes in on Brazil as the world's second-most affected nation from the virus.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

At least 6,165,326 cases of the highly contagious novel coronavirus have been reported in the United States and its territories while at least 186,767 people have died, according to a Reuters tally of state and local government sources as of September 4, 2020, 11:01 am. The US diagnosed its first COVID-19 case in Washington state on January 20.  

Likewise, Brazil follows the US with a total of 4,041,638 coronavirus cases with 124,614 death, according to Reuters’ interactive graphic tracking the global spread.  

Likewise, India has the third-highest 3,853,406 coronavirus cases while 67,376 people have died. 

ASIA-PACIFIC

— South Korean doctors agreed to end a two-week strike which has complicated efforts to curb a new wave of COVID-19 infections.

— India reported a daily jump of 83,341 infections, taking its tally to 3.94 million, as Asia's worst-hit country closes in on Brazil as the world's second most affected nation from the virus.

— An Australian state reported a record 59 deaths, the highest ever daily total for the country.

— New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the current coronavirus restrictions would be retained until mid-September.

EUROPE

— The weekly number of positive cases in England in late August was the highest since the end of May, the latest data from the test and trace scheme showed.

AMERICAS

— Brazil's national tally of infections surpassed 4 million.

— More health workers have died from the novel coronavirus in Mexico than any other country on the planet, Amnesty International said.

— British actor Robert Pattinson has tested positive for COVID-19, news media reported, halting production of "The Batman" and highlighting the industry's struggles to get back to business after months of a shutdown.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

— Israel will impose a partial national lockdown next week to battle a coronavirus infection surge, the head of its pandemic task force said on Thursday.

MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS

— Drugmaker Roche said it had received Emergency Use Authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration for a test to quickly detect whether a patient has SARS-CoV-2 or one of two forms of influenza.

— Contact tracing apps can sharply reduce the spread of the virus even when only a few people use them, a study published by researchers at Google and Oxford University showed.

— Mexico said it plans to take part in stage 3 trials of the Russian coronavirus vaccine in October, part of the nation's efforts to secure supplies of possible future COVID-19 vaccines.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

— Asian markets had their worst session in two weeks following a plunge on Wall Street, though gains in safer assets like bonds and dollars were muted as investors awaited US job data.

— US employers announced another 115,762 job cuts in August, led by struggling airlines as the pandemic weighs on travel and financial assistance from the government lapses.

— Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga signalled readiness to compile a third extra budget to respond to the pandemic if he succeeds outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.