More young people are dying of COVID-19 in Brazil than other countries, a trend driven partly by demographics -- the overall population is younger -- but also by poverty and the need to work.

Iran called on its citizens on Thursday to avoid travel during the upcoming festival marking the end of Ramadan as it announced another surge in coronavirus infections.

China offered a low-key rebuttal to United States President Donald Trump's accusation of mass killing on Thursday, with a foreign ministry official insisting the country did its best to protect lives during the pandemic.

Global infections from the novel coronavirus surpassed five million on Thursday as the pandemic played out unevenly across the planet, with China eager to declare a victory, Europe tentatively emerging from its shell and deaths still rising in hotspots in Latin America. 

The World Health Organization has reported the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases, as US President Donald Trump proposed hosting world leaders for the annual G7 summit as a sign of "normalization."

President Donald Trump again lashed out at China Wednesday over the coronavirus pandemic, blaming Beijing for "mass Worldwide killing."

Russia on Wednesday reported its highest ever daily coronavirus death toll of 135, bringing the country's total fatalities to nearly 3,000. 

Three towns in France's northwest will close their beaches just days after reopening following two months of coronavirus lockdown, saying too many visitors were snubbing social distancing rules.

Iran on Wednesday said it was close to "curbing" the new coronavirus outbreak even as it reported more than 2,000 fresh infections for the third day in a row.

"We have been progressing at every step in the past three months... in fighting this dangerous virus and are nearly on the verge of curbing this disease," said President Hassan Rouhani.

Sweden has taken a soft approach to virus restrictions and although its rules are likely to be in place longer than in other countries, officials are adamant their strategy is a winner in the long term.