COVID-19: Worldwide infections rise to 2.5m, as WHO warns against global hunger

Fresh data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University has revealed that more than 2.5 million people around the world have been diagnosed with the deadly COVID-19 disease.

The figures provided by the Johns Hopkins University also noted more than 170,000 have died, with the US accounting for about a quarter of all deaths recorded across the globe.

In a related development, the United Nations on Tuesday said that COVID-19 could double the number of people at risk of hunger with ‘potentially catastrophic’ impact on most vulnerable thus putting 265 million people at risk.

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This comes after the British Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, said on Tuesday a COVID-19 vaccine developed at the University of Oxford would be tested on humans in the United Kingdom from Thursday.

Hancock, who said he was “throwing everything at” the attempt to develop the first vaccine in the world, said the government would give the scientists an extra £20million to help with their project.

According to him, the vaccine, known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 will be trialled in conjunction with the University Hospital, Southampton.

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