More than 10 million cases of the new coronavirus have been recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean according to an AFP tally at 0640 GMT based on official sources.
A total of 10,001,833 cases have now been recorded, of whom 366,637 people have died and 8,537,563 are considered to be cured. According to official figures, the region is the worst hit by the virus in the world in terms of deaths.
More than half the recorded cases in the region have been registered in Brazil, which officially has 5,055,888 cases and 149,639 deaths.
It is followed by Colombia, with 894,300 cases and 27,495 deaths; Argentina with 871,455 cases and 23,225 deaths; and Peru with 843,355 cases and 33,158 deaths.
Mexico, although it has fewer cases at 809,751, has suffered a high number of deaths -- the fourth highest in the world -- with the toll currently 83,507.
The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.
Many countries are testing only symptomatic or the most serious cases.
Trump returns to fray
US President Donald Trump will address supporters in Florida on Monday at his first rally since testing positive for Covid-19
He will also give a public speech at the White House on Saturday on his favoured theme of "law and order", giving him an opportunity to dispel lingering doubts about his health.
Extra support for UK firms
The British government said it would pay up to two-thirds of staff monthly wages to firms forced to close over the winter months, as infection rates skyrocket.
Finance minister Rishi Sunak extended a scheme launched just two weeks ago for workers taking reduced hours to help businesses required to shut as part of efforts to cut transmission rates.
More than 42,000 people have died in the outbreak in Britain -- the worst toll in Europe -- and concern is mounting about a potentially deadlier second wave.
More than 36.5m cases
Across the world 1,063,766 people have died of the coronavirus since it first emerged in China late last year, according to an AFP tally at 1900 GMT Friday based on official sources.
Almost 37 million cases have been officially diagnosed.
The US has the highest death toll, with 212,789, followed by Brazil with 148,957, India 106,490, Mexico 83,096 and Britain 42,679.
Merkel warning
Chancellor Angela Merkel warned coronavirus hotspots in Germany will be given 10 days to tackle their rising case numbers before tougher action is taken.
"We all sense that the big cities, the urban areas, are now the arena where we will see if we can keep the pandemic under control in Germany as we have done for months, or if we lose control," Merkel said after talks with mayors.
Capital Berlin and financial hub Frankfurt both joined a growing list of high-risk zones on Germany's map this week, after crossing the threshold of 50 new cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days.