It has been reported that more than 600,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have been officially recorded around the world since the outbreak of the epidemic.

This is according to an AFP tally at 1045 GMT on Saturday.

There were 605,010 cases of infection with 27,982 deaths in 183 countries and territories.

The United States had 104,837 cases of which 1,711 were fatal. Italy had the highest number of deaths at 9,134 and a total of 86,498 cases.

China, the epicentre of the outbreak, had 81,394 cases and 3,295 deaths.

The figures represent only a fraction of the number of infections as many countries only carry out tests on suspected cases if they are hospitalised.