Worldwide confirmed COVID-19 cases approach 1.5 million as global death toll exceeds 88,500.

Iran Press/ America: The United States reached 400,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, a grim milestone that comes as the death tolls continue to rise in hot spots in what experts expect to be the country's deadliest week so far.

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has defended its handling of the coronavirus pandemic after US President Donald Trump accused the agency of being "China-centric" and threatened to cut funding.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom on Wednesday recorded its highest daily death toll, at 938, bringing the number of total coronavirus-linked fatalities to 7,097.

Spain reported another 757 deaths over the past 24 hours and Somalia has registered its first death from coronavirus.

France confirmed 541 more deaths from COVID-19 in hospital over the past 24 hours, bringing its total official toll from the coronavirus pandemic to 10,869.

According to top health official Jerome Salomon, there were now 7,148 people in intensive care, a net increase of 17 from the day earlier, the lowest increase recorded in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, the president of the European Union's main science organization has quit the post he took up only in January, amid controversy over the bloc's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mauro Ferrari, head of the European Research Council submitted his resignation saying: "I have been extremely disappointed by the European response" to the pandemic.

He cited institutional resistance and bureaucratic infighting in the EU's complex structures to his proposal for a big scientific program to fight the coronavirus.

Turkey's confirmed cases of coronavirus increased by 4,117 in the last 24 hours, and 87 people have died, taking the death toll to 812, the health ministry said.

The total number of recovered cases stood at 1,846, and the number of tests carried out over the last 24 hours was 24,900, the health ministry said.

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