US: Death Toll From Coronavirus Surpasses 8,500

The death toll from coronavirus in the U.S. has passed 8,500 on Sunday, with 1,340 more confirmed deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

The university's running tally counted 8,503 deaths, and 312, 249 confirmed cases as the U.S. struggles to curb the outbreak.

The U.S. has become the country with the most confirmed coronavirus infections followed by Spain and Italy after the virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December.

New York is the worst-hit U.S. state by the pandemic, with more than 114,000 confirmed cases, followed by New Jersey and Michigan, the states with the second and third-most infections in the country, with 34,124, and 14,225 confirmed cases respectively.

More than 1.2 million cases of coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The virus has spread to at least 183 countries and territories so far.

Over 66,500 people died after contracting the virus, while more than 252,600 recovered after treatment.

Writing by Seda Sevencan in Ankara -