Coronavirus: Countries with most cases, deaths, recoveries worldwide

Months into COVID-19’s global spread, the United States continues to have the most cases, but Russia has recently seen skyrocketing numbers.

COVID-19, the illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, first emerged in China in late December before spreading to other Asian countries and then to Europe where it got a grip in nations like Italy and Spain. 

China placed cities like Wuhan into lockdown and Italy soon followed suit as the European country became a hotspot for the illness. Countries all over the world eventually imposed some of the toughest restrictions in modern times. But they are starting to be relaxed in spots which now believe they have contained or controlled the illness. In others, the risk remains high.

Nearly five million people worldwide have reported having the sickness, with 318,000 dead.

While China may have been where the virus originated, the United States has the most cases - by far. More than 1.5 million Americans have or have had the illness, with 90,340 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Russia has recently overtaken other hotspots like Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom to record the second-most cases with 290,678. On some days over the last two weeks, it has recorded more than 11,000 cases.

Brazil too has risen in the ranks, with 255,360 cases. The UK has 247,709 and rounding out the top five is Spain with 231,606, John Hopkins University says.

China is no longer in the top ten with its 84,054 cases. It's now reporting very few, if any, cases each day.

In terms of deaths, following behind the United States is the UK with 34,876. Italy has recorded 32,007 deaths, France 28,242 and Spain 27,709.

While that is grim, the number of recovered cases is far higher. Globally, 1.78 million have gotten better, with 283,178 of those in the United States. Germany follows behind the US with 155,041. Spain (150,376), Italy (127,326), and Turkey (111,577) have also seen a large number of recovered patients.

According to Worldometers, Lesotho and Saint Pierre Miquelon only have a single case each. The website also says San Marino, a tiny country in Europe with just 33,785 people, has both the most cases and most deaths per 1 million people. It's recorded 654 cases and 41 deaths.

New Zealand has recorded just 1499 cases and 21 deaths, while our neighbour Australia has 7062 cases and 99 deaths.