European coronavirus death toll passes 2,000

The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in Europe passed 2,000 on Sunday, an AFP tally compiled from official sources showed, after 268 new deaths were recorded in Italy.

A total of 2,297 coronavirus-related deaths have now been recorded in Europe, most of them in the continent's worst-hit country Italy, which has registered 1,809.

Europe is now the continent where the virus is spreading the fastest, with nations there announcing 517 new deaths in the last 24 hours, for a total of more than 52,400 confirmed infections. Experts in several countries have warned that the number of cases is likely higher than the official number.