Shoppers wear masks on Oxford Street in London, Sept 21, 2020. (KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH / AP)

MEXICO CITY / BRASILIA / HARARE / BOGOTA / ACCRA / BUENOS AIRES / LONDON / BERLIN / BUDAPEST / TBILISI / PRAGUE / MOSCOW / TRIPOLI / MADRID - Boris Johnson will convene crisis talks on tackling the resurgent coronavirus, after his top scientific adviser warned the UK is on course for 50,000 new cases a day by mid-October without urgent action.

The prime minister will chair a meeting of the government’s so-called Cobra emergency committee Tuesday morning, which the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also attend. He’ll then make a statement to the House of Commons to lay out the next steps in his government’s pandemic response -- expected to include tougher rules on social distancing.

Ministers are trying to strike a balance between controlling the pandemic and avoiding a full lockdown that would snuff out the recovery after the economy plunged into its deepest recession for more than 100 years. Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance warned Monday the current infection rate, at which the number of cases is doubling every week, could lead to more than 200 deaths a day in mid-November if no new measures are put in place.

Testing data show social activities -- rather than the reopening of schools and offices -- are the main reason for the recent surge, Hancock said, indicating that they will be the target of the government’s new rules. Pressed on whether pubs will have to close, Hancock said: “It’s not a no, and it’s not a yes.”

The latest government statistics, released on Sunday, showed a further 3,899 daily COVID cases and 18 deaths in the UK.

Global tally

Coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed 31 million on Monday while the global death toll topped 960,000, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

ALSO READ: WHO warns Europeans of more COVID-19 deaths

Africa tally

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases recorded across Africa has reached 1,399,186 as of Sunday, the Africa CDC said, adding that the death toll has risen to 33,818.

During the past one-week period, Morocco reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases with 14,603 new cases, followed by South Africa and Ethiopia with 11,013 and 4,742 new cases, respectively, according to the Africa CDC.

The other two countries among the top five nations in the continent reporting the highest tally in the past week were Libya and Tunisia, according to the Africa CDC.

Argentina

Argentina's Health Ministry said on Sunday that a total of 631,365 COVID-19 cases and 13,053 deaths had so far been reported nationwide.

The ministry said that 8,431 new cases and 254 more deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours.

Currently, 3,261 patients are being hospitalized for the disease in intensive care units while 488,231 people have recovered, it said.

Bolivia

Bolivia expects to see the curve of its novel coronavirus outbreak plateau this month after having registered more than 130,000 cases of infection, Virgilio Prieto, head of epidemiology at the Ministry of Health, said on Sunday.

This month the country had seen a decrease in the number of infections, he said.

Several cities began to further relax lockdown measures over the weekend, reopening more public venues such as cinemas, gyms, liquor stores, cafeterias and internet cafes.

As of Saturday, the country has reported 130,470 confirmed cases and 7,586 deaths, accroding to the Health Ministry.

Brazil

Brazil recorded 16,389 additional confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, and 363 deaths from the disease, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

The figures do not include any new cases or deaths in the Brazilian states of Tocantins, Amapa and Roraima, as state authorities did not report updated statistics on Sunday, the ministry said.

The newly reported cases and fatalities took the number of confirmed cases and deaths to 4,544,629 and 136,895, respectively, the Health Ministry said.

A woman gets tested for COVID-19 at a sampling station in Prague, Czech Republic, Sept 21, 2020. (PETR DAVID JOSEK / AP)

Czech Republic

Czech Health Minister Adam Vojtech said on Monday he had submitted his resignation following criticism over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, as the central European country sees a surge in cases.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis thanked Vojtech for his work in a message on his twitter account, saying he could have been remembered as the country's best health minister if he did not have to use all his energy to fight the pandemic.

Babis said epidemiologist Roman Prymula will be the new health minister in his government.

The Czech Republic has reported growth in coronavirus confirmed cases at Europe's second fastest pace in recent weeks, behind Spain, after the country lifted just before summer almost all measures taken during the first wave of the pandemic.

The country's daily count of coronavirus cases dropped to 985 on Sunday, the third day in a row the number has decreased, data from the Health Ministry showed on Monday. Fewer tests are done on weekends than on weekdays.

The virus has infected 49,290 people in the country and killed more than 500. 

The 'R' rate, which measures how many people are likely to be infected by one person carrying the virus, has hit 1.6.

Colombia

Colombia reported 169 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising its death toll to 24,208, the Health Ministry said on Sunday.

Meanwhile, 6,678 new COVID-19 cases were reported, bringing the nationwide tally to 765,076, the ministry said.

A total of 633,199 patients have so far recovered, it added.

Denmark

Denmark’s government is offering help to restaurants and bars hurt by new COVID-19 restrictions after getting parliament’s backing for the aid package.

The government will provide compensation for rent and other fixed costs to firms that lose revenue after opening hours were cut, the business ministry said in a statement late Sunday. Additionally, the government will set aside 100 million kroner (US$16 million) for other aid to the industry.

Ecuador

Traffic picked up in Ecuador's capital Quito on Sunday, after local officials lifted pandemic lockdown restrictions on vehicles, allowing them all to circulate.

The move aimed to restart economic activity in the city following months of limiting the number of cars on the road according to odd or even license plate numbers, despite Quito still being the epicenter of Ecuador's COVID-19 outbreak.

Residents went out in droves, especially to city parks, traditional spots for Sunday family outings. Mask-wearing is still mandatory even inside vehicles, according to a municipal ordinance, with violators facing a US$100 fine.

Ecuador reported 799 new cases and eight deaths in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Public Health said Sunday. The new figures brought the tally and the death toll to 126,419 and 7,296, respectively. 

France

French health authorities reported 10,569 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday, down from the previous day's record increase of 13,498.

The number of French deaths from the disease rose by 12 over the preceding 24 hours to 31,585, the health ministry said. The cumulative number of confirmed cases now stands at 453,763.

The rolling seven-day count of COVID-19 hospital admissions rose to 3,894 from 3,853 on Saturday, according to the latest French data, with intensive care admissions stable at 593.

READ MORE: Threat of lethal autumn looms in Europe after COVID reprieve

Germany

Rising new coronavirus infection numbers in countries like France, Austria or the Netherlands are worrying, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Monday, adding that Germany will sooner or later import cases from there.

“It’s not just the dynamic in Germany, but also that in our direct European neighbors like France, Austria and the Netherlands,” Spahn said Monday in an interview with DLF radio. “We are mobile in Europe, and we are in the middle of the continent. Sooner or later there will be spillover into Germany.”

Spahn's remarks came as data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday the number of confirmed cases in Germany increased by 922 to 272,337, while the reported death toll remained unchanged at 9,386.

Georgia

Georgia reported 193 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing its total to 3,635.

Of the 193 new cases, 92 were confirmed in the western Adjara region, the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) said.

As of Monday, 1,534 of the 3,635 patients have recovered, while 20 others died, said the center.

To encourage more tests, NCDC has decided to set up tents along the main streets of Tbilisi for voluntary and free testing for the coronavirus in the coming days.

Georgia reported the first confirmed case on Feb 26.

Ghana

Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced late Sunday a three-month extension of multiple restrictions to strengthen the country's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his televised broadcast, Akufo-Addo said the restrictions include the wearing of face masks, the closures of public places such as beaches and cinemas, and land borders. He called on the public to abide by the social distancing rules to avoid a spike in the number of infections.

Ghana has so far recorded 46,004 COVID-19 cases with 297 deaths, according to the Health Ministry.

Hungary

Up to 200,000 Hungarians could become simultaneously infected with coronavirus under the government’s worst-case scenario, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told parliament on Monday, adding the healthcare system would be able to cope with such numbers.

After a spike in cases since the end of August, Hungary reported 876 new infections on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 18,866 with 686 deaths. The number of active cases rose to 13,779 based on the latest tally.

Orban, who has said a second wave of the pandemic could peak in December or January, told lawmakers that under the worst-case scenario, 16,000 Hungarians would need hospital treatment, with 800 people requiring ventilators.

Orban’s government spent US$1.15 billion on 16,000 ventilators this year after the premier said in April that Hungary would need up to 8,000 ventilators and intensive care hospital beds during the peak of the crisis.

Orban did not clarify on Monday the reason for the difference between the two estimates of ventilator need. Some doctors and opposition politicians have warned, however, that a shortage of certified nurses could be the main bottleneck in the healthcare system.

Ireland

Ireland may widen restrictions after introducing new curbs in Dublin over the weekend with three more counties where the virus is spreading quickly in focus. While the nature of the outbreaks will dictate how authorities respond, “restrictions will apply if that is the only mechanism to bring the disease back under control,” health ministry advisor Philip Nolan told RTE Radio.

Ireland recorded 396 new cases on Sunday, the highest since mid May, with about two thirds of the infections in Dublin.

The news came as the Irish capital experienced a first weekend of new curbs - travel in and out of the region was restricted, and indoor dining at bars and restaurants halted. Still, mild weather over the weekend drew many to the outdoor cafes and bars that popped up in city streets.

Italy

Italy reported 1,587 new coronavirus cases on Sunday down from 1,638 the previous day. There were 15 additional deaths bringing the total number of people that have died from the virus in Italy since the beginning of the pandemic to 35,707.

The number of coronavirus patients in intensive care at hospitals rose by 7 to 222, according to Health Ministry data. That compares with a peak of more than 4,000 ICU patients in April.

Libya

The National Center for Disease Control of Libya on Monday reported 847 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total confirmed number in the country to  28,796.

The 847 new infections were confirmed after 3,598 suspected samples were tested, the Center said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 316 more patients have recovered from the disease and 19 died, raising the total number of recoveries and deaths to 15,384 and 450 respectively.

After the first case was announced in March, Libyan authorities closed the country's borders, shut down schools and mosques, banned public gatherings and imposed a curfew in order to prevent infections.

China donated medical aid to Libya in June to help the North African country fight the pandemic, including 834 nucleic acid diagnostic kits, 5,000 medical protective suits, 15,000 N95 face masks, 100,000 surgical masks, 5,000 pairs of goggles and 5,000 pairs of medical gloves.

Mexico

Mexico's health ministry on Sunday reported 3,542 newly confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the country, bringing the total to 697,663, and 235 more deaths, raising the death toll to 73,493.

Deputy Health Minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell has said the real number of cases in the country is significantly higher.

Morocco

Morocco's COVID-19 cases on Sunday surpassed 100,000 following a sharp increase in daily infections in last weeks.

A total of 1,927 fresh infections were registered in the past 24 hours, taking the tally to 101,743, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

The number of recoveries increased by 1,724 to 80,732 while the death toll rose by 35 to 1,830.

Russia

Russia on Monday reported 6,196 new coronavirus cases, the most recorded over 24 hours since July 18, pushing its national tally to 1,109,595, the fourth largest in the world.

Authorities also reported 71 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 19,489.

Sweden

Sweden's gross domestic product will shrink around 4.6 percent this year, the government said on Monday, outlining a budget bill that will pump around 105 billion crowns (US$12.0 billion) into the economy to kick-start growth following the pandemic.

Measures in the budget, including tax cuts for individuals and companies and more money for the welfare sector, were broadly known. 

The Social Democrat and Green coalition said the budget would focus would be on boosting jobs, welfare and supporting the switch to a carbon-free future.

Sweden has so far reported 88,237 confirmed cases and 5,865 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Spain

The regional chief of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, requested on Monday help from the army to fight the coronavirus surge in and around the Spanish capital where local authorities have ordered a partial lockdown of some poorer areas, prompting protests during the weekend.

Tunisia

Tunisia's health ministry on Monday reported 996 new COVID-19 infections and four more deaths, raising the tally to 10,732 cases with 159 deaths.

A total of 200,459 lab tests have been carried out from February to Sept. 19, of which 5.4 percent proved positive, according to a statistical document of the ministry.

President Kais Saied ordered on Sunday the establishment of an analysis laboratory for coronavirus in the central province of Sidi Bouzid.

Separately, Habib Guedira, member of a scientific committee for the fight against the coronavirus said that "the epidemiological situation in Tunisia has become a matter of concern because of the rapid spread of the coronavirus." He warned that the situation "will worsen within a month from now and will become very dangerous if Tunisians do not adhere to health prevention measures and follow the necessary precautions".

Uganda

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced on Sunday the reopening of places of worship with no more than 70 attendees, amid a recent spike of COVID-19 cases.

"The regular large gatherings of prayers and preaching of Sundays and Fridays will be considered at a later stage, depending on how the disease will be evolving," Museveni said in a televised address. Any mass gatherings, included at places of worship, remain prohibited, he said.

Museveni also said that all open air sports activities would be allowed to resume without spectators, though indoor sports facilities, including gyms, remain closed. Meanwhile, casinos, gaming centers, bars and cinemas remain closed, he said.

In addition, Museveni also said schools, colleges and universities will reopen for the 1.2 million students in candidate classes and finalists in tertiary colleges and universities on Oct 15.

As of Sunday, Uganda has recorded 6,287 COVID-19 cases, 2,616 recoveries and 63 deaths, according to the health ministry.

UK

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on Monday pondering a second national lockdown as an accelerating coronavirus outbreak  threatened to destroy any shoots of economic recovery and send millions back into isolation.

New cases are rising by at least 6,000 per day in Britain, according to week old data, hospital admissions are doubling every eight days and the testing system is buckling.

"The trend in the UK is heading in the wrong direction and we are at a critical point in the pandemic," Chris Whitty, the government's chief medical officer, will say at a briefing at 1000 GMT on Monday. Johnson is due to speak on Tuesday.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the restrictions would be different to last time: the government wants to crack down on socializing but schools and many workplaces will stay open. On Sunday, Hancock said Britain is facing a "tipping point" and more restrictions are possible to cope with the spread of the virus.

Separately, the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, warned on Sunday that London should be placed under new lockdown restrictions as early as Monday to curb the recent surge in cases, local media reported.

Britain recorded another 3,899 infections overnight on Sunday, as the death toll rose by 18, according to official figures. The fresh cases brought the tally to 394,257 while the official UK death toll stodd at  41,777, according to official data.

Chris Whitty, the government's chief medical officer, and Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, are due to give a briefing at 1000 GMT on Monday.  Johnson is due to speak on Tuesday.

People practice social distancing as they listen to music performed by the Kansas City Symphony on the lawn at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Sept 19, 2020. (CHARLIE RIEDEL / AP)

US

Deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States approached 200,000 and the nation’s new cases rose in line with a one-week average. 

The US added 41,206 new cases, a 0.6 percent rise that equals the average daily increase in the previous seven days, according to data from Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg. Another 693 people died of virus-related illness, bringing the toll to 199,258 on Sunday morning.

Nearly 6.8 million in the US have been infected with COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally.

ALSO READ: US stands on verge of dark new milestone: 200,000 virus deaths

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said he expects the US to experience “at least one more cycle” of the virus in the fall and winter. He cited rising cases in the South and Midwest, despite slowdowns in New York, Miami and Houston.

Gottlieb also said he doesn’t believe there will be a vaccine available for general inoculation until the end of second quarter or the third-quarter in 2021, contradicting President Donald Trump’s earlier comment that all Americans could get vaccinated by April.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga has said that the country's international airports are ready to re-open, state media reported Sunday.

The airports have been closed since March when the government came up with regulatory measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The cabinet has recently resolved to allow both domestic and international flights to resume on Sept 10 and Oct 1.

Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, toured the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo Airport in Bulawayo, and the Victoria Falls International Airport on Saturday to assess their level of preparedness to handle traffic.

After the tour in Harare, Chiwenga said he was impressed by the level of preparedness.

Zimbabwe has so far reported 7,683 confirmed cases and 225 deaths, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.