Italy coronavirus deaths hit record, 475 in a day

Hard-hit Italy reported an additional 475 deaths from the virus on Wednesday, and France imposed a draconian lockdown unseen during peacetime.

That's the highest death toll reported in one day by any country since the coronavirus outbreak originated in Wuhan, China, late last year.

Even at the height of China's outbreak, its highest single-day death toll was 150, on February 23. Iran and Spain, both struggling with large outbreaks, have not recorded more than 200 deaths in a single day.

In the United States, the virus has now spread to all 50 states.

The coronavirus has now infected more than 200,000 people and killed more than 8,000 globally, with over 83,000 people having recovered from the infection, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for more "aggressive" action to curb coronavirus in Southeast Asia after the European Union, now at the epicentre of the pandemic, moved to seal off its borders.

Dhaka/Mukul