Shawdesh desk:

The overall number of Covid cases has surged past 250 million amid the global race to vaccinate masses against the infectious disease.

According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 250,314,842 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,055,334 on Tuesday morning.

The US has recorded 46,613,052 cases to date and more than 755,631 people have died so far from the virus in the country, as per the university data.

Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January, registered 21,886,077 cases as of Tuesday, while its Covid death toll rose to 609,573.

India’s Covid-19 tally rose to 34,366,987 on Monday as 11,451 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry data.

Besides, as many as 266 deaths due to the pandemic were reported since Sunday morning, taking the total toll to 461,057.

In Europe, Germany’s coronavirus infection rate climbed to its highest recorded level yet on Monday, as what officials have called a “pandemic of the unvaccinated” gathers pace, reports AP.

The disease control center of Germany said on Monday that 15,513 new Covid-19 cases were reported over the past 24 hours — down from a record 37,120 on Friday, but figures are typically lower after the weekend. Another 33 deaths were recorded, bringing Germany’s total to 96,558.

Germany has struggled to find ways to pep up its much-slowed vaccination campaign. At least 67% of the population of 83 million is fully vaccinated, according to official figures, which authorities say isn’t enough. Unlike some other European countries, it has balked at making vaccinations mandatory for any professional group.

According to AP, Russia’s coronavirus task force reported 39,400 new infections and 1,190 deaths on Monday — slightly lower than the record 41,335 new cases Saturday and the record 1,195 deaths reported on Thursday. Russia has the worst death toll in Europe by far, and is one of the top five hardest-hit nations in the world.

The task force has been reporting around 40,000 new cases and over 1,100 new deaths each day since late October.

Meanwhile, Russians went back to work on Monday after a mandated, nine-day break, with authorities expressing uncertainly whether the measure helped tame a record-breaking surge of coronavirus infections and deaths.