MOSCOW, April 27. /TASS/. The overall number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases worldwide reached 3 million on Monday, according to TASS calculations based on official reports, as well as statements from experts and media.

Latest figures indicate that some 3,003,000 people have contracted the virus worldwide. The death toll stands at approximately 207,800, or nearly 6.92% of those infected.

The benchmark of 1.5 million was reached on April 10, and it took the figure approximately 18 days to double.

The majority of cases was registered in the United States, which accounts for nearly one third of all infections. According to the Johns Hopkins University, the country has 972,969 confirmed cases, and 5,66% of them (or 55,118) were fatal. Spain is the runner up, with 229,422 confirmed cases and 23,521 deaths (death rate 10.25%). Italy is third, with 199,414 confirmed cases and 26,977 deaths (13,43%).

Russia is ranked ninth in the list of the worst-affected countries. According to the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center, a total of 87,147 cases have been registered in the country. 7,346 patients have already recovered, while 794 died.

In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.