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The two statistics that show how quickly the global coronavirus pandemic is accelerating

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the coronavirus crisis could “get worse and worse” as infections continue to increase.

According to analysis by Reuters, infections climbed by a million in the last five days, the quickest rise for a million new cases since the beginning of the worldwide pandemic, which has now entered its seventh month.

At the start of the outbreak it took three months to reach one million cases.

According to data from John Hopkins University, there have been 12,977,429 cases of coronavirus globally with 570,259 deaths.

These numbers will sharply increase if countries fail to adhere to strict healthcare precautions, according to WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,

"Let me be blunt, too many countries are headed in the wrong direction, the virus remains public enemy number one," Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing from the UN agency's headquarters in Geneva.

A member of staff at Solvay Society brewery in Leytonstone pours a beer on the first day of reopening after the lockdown due to the Coronavirus outbreak, in London, Saturday, July 4, 2020. England is embarking on perhaps its biggest lockdown easing yet as pubs and restaurants have the right to reopen for the first time in more than three months. In addition to the reopening of much of the hospitality sector, couples can tie the knot once again, while many of those who have had enough of their lockdown hair can finally get a trim. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
A member of staff at Solvay Society brewery in Leytonstone, London, pours a beer on the first day of England's pubs opening on 4 July. (AP)

"If basics are not followed, the only way this pandemic is going to go – it is going to get worse and worse and worse. But it does not have to be this way.”

The US and Brazil are the countries worst hit, followed by India and Russia.

Coronavirus infections passed 13 million on Monday, according to the Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease that has killed 573,248 people in seven months.

The first case was reported in China in early January and it took three months to reach one million cases. It has taken just five days to climb to 13 million cases from the 12 million recorded on 8 July.

Photo by: John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx 2020 6/26/20 People wait in line to get into a department store in SoHo as Manhattan enters Phase 2 of re-opening following restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic on June 26, 2020 in New York City. Phase 2 permits the reopening of offices, in-store retail, outdoor dining, barbers and beauty parlors and numerous other businesses. Phase 2 is the second of four-phased stages designated by the state.
People wait to enter a department store as Manhattan enters phase two of reopening following restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus pandemic in June. (PA)

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The number of cases is around triple that of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to the WHO.

There have been more than 568,500 deaths linked to COVID-19 so far, within the same range as the number of yearly influenza deaths reported worldwide.

Drinkers in Soho congregate, as coronavirus lockdown restrictions eased across the country, in London, Saturday July 4, 2020. England embarked on perhaps its biggest lockdown easing yet as pubs and restaurants reopened for the first time in more than three months. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)
Drinkers in Soho, London, congregate, as coronavirus lockdown restrictions eased on 4 July. (AP)

The first death was reported on 10 January in Wuhan, China, before infections and fatalities surged in Europe and then later in the US.

The WHO also confirmed a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with the total rising by 230,370 in 24 hours.

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The US reported another record increase, with more than 66,500 new cases in 24 hours.

India also had a surge of 28,637 cases in the same period.

The UK, which just a couple a months ago was the epicentre of the coronavirus in Europe, on Monday reported that the UK coronavirus hospital death toll had risen by 12, in the lowest daily increase since mid-March.

Scotland has seen no COVID-19 deaths for the fifth day in a row; Wales also recorded no deaths for a fourth day in succession.

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On Monday, it was announced that wearing masks in shops would be mandatory in England from 24 July.

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