UPDATE - COVID-19: Global death toll surpasses 40,000

UPDATES WITH DEATH TOLL, NUMBER OF RECOVERED FROM COVID-19

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) - The global death toll from coronavirus climbed over 40,000 on Tuesday, according to figures compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The virus known as COVID-19, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 179 countries and regions around the globe, while confirmed cases have exceeded 838,000.

While the death toll stands at 41,261, a total of 175,737 people diagnosed with the virus globally have recovered.

Italy, Spain, China, and Iran continue to be the most affected countries.

The U.S. has reported the most number of cases -- more than 177,000 -- with 3,440 fatalities.

Italy has reported the highest number of deaths from the virus with 12,428 fatalities, followed by Spain at 8,269 and China at 3,309.

Iran has reported 2,898 deaths from the virus.

Many countries have restricted flights from the most affected places and implemented lockdowns as the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic and Europe the new epicenter of the outbreak.