The number of novel coronavirus cases recorded worldwide surpassed four million on Saturday, according to an AFP tally based on official sources, as of 2145 GMT.

There are now at least 4,001,437 cases of coronavirus around the world, with 277,127 deaths.

The United States has been the hardest-hit country, with 1,305,544 cases and 78,618 deaths. Europe is the hardest-hit continent, with 1,708,648 cases and 155,074 deaths.

The AFP tally, using data collected from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), probably reflects only a fraction of the true number of infections. Many countries are testing only the most serious cases.