Coronavirus: latest global developments

The pandemic has killed at least 616,965 people worldwide since it surfaced in China late last year, according to an AFP tally on Wednesday based on official sources, with 14.9 million people infected.

The United States has the most deaths with 142,068, followed by Brazil with 81,487, Britain with 45,422, Mexico with 40,400 and Italy with 35,073.

- Worse before better: Trump - 

US President Donald Trump warns that the coronavirus crisis in the United States is likely to "get worse before it gets better".

At his first formal White House virus briefing since the end of April, Trump, whom polls show faces a drubbing at November's election in the world's worst-hit country, confirms a U-turn by urging Americans to wear a mask when unable to socially distance.

- China defends itself -

China accuses the United States of "slander" after two Chinese nationals are indicted there for seeking to steal coronavirus vaccine research and hacking hundreds of companies.

"The Chinese government is a staunch defender of cyber security, and has always opposed and cracked down on cyber attacks and cyber crime in all forms," says foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

- 'Avalanche' in Belgium feared -

Belgium is experiencing a dangerous surge in cases after relaxing many of its lockdown measures, the Belgian national security council says, urging social distancing to prevent a "snowball effect before it provokes a new avalanche".

Belgium suffered one of Europe's worst per capita tolls of coronavirus earlier this year, but along with its neighbours was able to bring it under control. Now, however, the number of cases is increasing again.

- Tokyo under lockdown -

Tokyo's governor urges residents of the Japanese capital to stay at home during an upcoming four-day holiday weekend, after it hits a new daily record of 293 cases last week, and the figure has stayed above 200 in recent days.

Japan has had just over 26,300 cases and close to 1,000 deaths, a low figure compared with countries worst hit by the pandemic, but Japanese experts say the number of patients in serious condition is gradually increasing.

- Record infections in Australia, Hong Kong -

Australia reports a record 502 new coronavirus infections, with most of the new cases in the southeastern state of Victoria, where authorities have struggled to bring an outbreak in Melbourne under control despite an almost two-week lockdown in Australia's second-biggest city. 

Hong Kong also reports a record 113 new infections. One of the first places to be struck by the virus when it emerged from central China, the densely-packed territory ended local transmissions by late June but infections have spiked again.

- Tokyo Olympics depend on treatment -

The development of a coronavirus vaccine or treatment will be key to allowing the postponed Tokyo 2020 games to open in a year's time, organising committee president Yoshiro Mori says in an interview with national broadcaster NHK.

Asked whether Tokyo could hold the Games if the virus situation remains unchanged, Mori says: "If things continue as they are now, we couldn't," but "I can't imagine a situation like this will continue for another year".