The new coronavirus pandemic has claimed more than 600,000 lives worldwide, according to an AFP tally released on Saturday night.
A total of 600,523 deaths were recorded globally out of 14,233,355 cases, a count based on official data showed, including 205,065 deaths in Europe which is the worst-affected continent.
The virus is spreading rapidly in Latin America — the region with the second-most recorded deaths — where 160,726 people have died.
The United States is the country with the most deaths with 140,103, followed by Brazil with 78,772, Britain with 45,273, Mexico with 38,888 and Italy with 35,042.
The number of deaths linked to COVID-19 has doubled in just over two months, and more than 100,000 new deaths have been registered in the three weeks since June 28.
In Israel, meanwhile, the Health Ministry confirmed on Saturday night that 1,595 new coronavirus cases had been diagnosed since Friday.
Of the 27,502 active coronavirus cases, 217 patients are in serious condition, and 56 are on respirators. Another 400 Israelis have died of the virus.
Of the total 49,204 Israelis ever diagnosed with coronavirus, 21,302 have recovered.
Also on Friday, a series of new restrictions went into effect, with the goal of flattening the curve and reducing the number of new cases per day. However, following the announcement it was decided to allow restaurants to remain open over the weekend, so as to allow them to use the supplies they had purchased earlier this week.