Global tally of Coronavirus cases cross 300,000 as Europe becomes the new epicentre

That's an almost 20 percent increase on the day before and is the biggest one-day spike since the outbreak began. A least 53,578 have contracted the virus in Italy.

Patients lie on beds at one of the emergency structures that were set up to ease procedures at the Brescia hospital, Italy, Monday, March 16, 2020. (Photo | AP) 

MADRID: More than 300,000 people have contracted the novel coronavirus and at least 12,944 have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University on Sunday.

Italy reports its biggest one-day jump in deaths: In the past 24 hours, Italy recorded 793 deaths, meaning 4,825 people there have now died from coronavirus, according to the Italian authorities, according to CNN.

That's an almost 20 percent increase on the day before and is the biggest one-day spike since the outbreak began. A least 53,578 have contracted the virus in Italy.

There are now more than 5,000 confirmed cases in the United Kingdom, according to the Department of Health and Social Care on Saturday.

That's a rise of more than 1,000 cases in 24 hours. In total, 233 people with coronavirus have died in the UK and 72,818 people have been tested.

France saw its highest jump in deaths from coronavirus since the beginning of the outbreak, according to the Health Ministry on Saturday. France had seen 562 deaths by Saturday -- a rise of 112 from Friday.