Coronavirus: What's happening around the world on Aug. 16

The latest:

• South Africa president says country has passed its COVID-19 peak.
• South Korea reports highest daily jump since early March.
• Pandemicputs brakes on further exploration of Franklin wrecks.
• Nova Scotia plans for both the pandemic and hurricane season.
• Canadian shipments of ventilators expected to increase in the coming weeks.

The United States surpassed 170,000 coronavirus deaths on Sunday, as health officials express concerns over COVID-19, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University researchers,complicating the fall flu season.

Deaths rose by 483 on Sunday, with Florida, Texas and Louisiana, leading the rise in fatalities.

The United States has at least 5.4 million confirmed cases in total of the novel coronavirus, the highest in the world and likely an undercount as the country still has not ramped up testing to the recommended levels. Cases are falling in most states except for Hawaii, South Dakota and Illinois.

Public health officials and authorities are concerned about a possible fall resurgence in cases amid the start of the flu season, which will likely complicateefforts to treat the coronavirus.

WATCH | U.S.says number of cases of COVID-19 in children is 'steadily increasing':

Cases of COVID-19 in U.S. children 'steadily increasing'

4 years ago

Duration 4:33

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the number of cases of COVID-19 in children is "steadily increasing." Children make up 7.3 per cent of the total cases in the country.

Centers for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield warned the United States may be in for its "worst fall" if the public does not follow health guidelines in an interview with Web MD.

Months into the pandemic, the U.S. economic recovery from the recession triggered by the outbreak is still staggered, with some hot spots slowing their re-openings and others shutting down businesses.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is anticipating an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the coming months, resulting in around 300,000 total deaths by December, and a nearly 75 per cent increase in hospitalizations.

What's happening with coronavirus in Canada

As of 8:30 p.m.ET on Sunday,Canada had 122,087 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases. Provinces and territories listed 108,484 of those as recovered or resolved. ACBC News tallyof deaths based on provincial reports, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 9,064.

Ontario reported another 81 new caseson Sunday, bringing the latest numbers back into the double digits after a slight uptick on Saturday.

Quebec reported 67 new casesand no new deaths in the past 24 hours, although the government reported another death for which it said the date is unknown.

Manitoba reported 36 new cases on Sunday, a day after announcing the province's ninth COVID-19 death.

New Brunswick reported two new cases, but none of the other Atlanticprovinces reported any new cases on Sunday.

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Here's what's happening around the world

According to Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, the global total ofconfirmed coronavirus cases is now more than 21.4million.More than 771,000 people havedied, while 13.4million haverecovered.

In Europe,France's health ministry on Sunday reported 3,015 new infections over the last 24 hours, the second day in a row in which new cases have surpassed the 3,000 mark.A sharp rise in cases in France has led authorities in the country's two biggest cities, Paris and Marseille, to expand zones where wearing a mask is mandatory outdoors, while the government is set to propose masks be worn in shared indoor workspaces.

Meanwhile, cruise ship passengers were having their temperatures checked and taking COVID-19 tests Sunday so they could set sail on what is being billed as the first Mediterranean cruise after Italy's pandemic lockdown.Earlier this month, the Italian government gave its approval for cruise ships to once again depart from Italy's ports. But cruise ships are being limited to 70 per centcapacity.

In Asia-Pacific,South Korea has reported 279 new cases in the highest daily jump since early March, as fears grow about a massive outbreak in the greater capital region.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday chose to delaynational elections by four weeks as the country deals with a new outbreak in its largest city, Auckland.

In the Americas, Michelle Bolsonaro the wife of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the devastating impact of COVID-19 said Sunday that she had tested negative for the virusfollowing a July 30 announcement that she had tested positive. Her youngest son and husband have both tested positive.

Brazil on Sunday registered 620 new deaths and 23,101 new cases of coronavirus, the health ministry said. In total, the country now has 3,340,197 confirmed cases and 107,852 deaths; both figures second most in the world behind the U.S.

In Africa, South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa says the country has passed the peak of coronavirus infections and a "ray of light is visible now on the horizon" as the country, which has the fifth-largest virus caseload in the world, prepares to relax restrictions on Monday.

Ramaphosa says in the past three weeks, confirmed cases have dropped from more than 12,000 a day to around 5,000. The president acknowledged the hardship of the lockdown and warned South Africans not to be complacent because of asymptomatic spread, when people don't realize they have the virus.