The number of deaths by the novel coronavirus around the world stood at 19,246, according to a tally compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT Wednesday from official sources.
More than 427,940 declared cases have been registered in 181 countries and territories since the epidemic first emerged in China in December.
The tallies, using data collected by AFP offices from national authorities and information from the World Health Organization (WHO), are likely to reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.
Manu Dibango, the Cameroonian musician celebrated for his blend of jazz, funk and traditional West African styles, aged 86 has died in a Paris hospital after contracting Covid-19.
This is as Prince Charles has contracted coronavirus – but his wife Camilla has not tested positive. The Prince of Wales, 71, is in self-isolation at Balmoral Castle in Scotland with the Duchess of Cornwall, who is without any symptoms for the virus, which has killed 422 in the UK so far.
Many countries are now only testing cases that require hospitalisation.
In Nigeria, 46 coronavirus cases have been reported mostly in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti among others while one person died so far.
(AFP)