The United States has recorded 1,169 deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours, the highest single-day toll from the disease so far in any country since the outbreak of the pandemic

Data from the John Hopkins University shows a total of 5,926 deaths have been reported in the US, which also has the highest number of cases worldwide at 245,570.

In Italy, which had the global single-day record of deaths at 969, a total of 13,915 have now been killed by COVID-19 — the highest death-toll globally.

About 115,242 persons have also been infected by the disease in the European country.

Spain, the third worst-hit country, has also recorded 112,065 infections so far.

Europe remains the most affected region with at least half a million cases — more than half of the total infections worldwide.

The picture is less gloomy in Africa with 7,028 cases and 284 deaths across 50 countries, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Out of that number, 190 have so far been recorded in Nigeria where two people have also died from complications of the disease.

More than 212,300 people have recovered from COVID-19 worldwide, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and individual countries continue the search for a drug and vaccine.