COVID-19: Belarus confirmed almost 1,000 cases per day

The number of people in Belarus who have contracted the novel coronavirus has risen by 973 over the past 24 hours, reaching 13,181, the country's Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday.

"As of April 29, 13,181 COVID-19 cases have been recorded, which accounts for 7.8% of the number of tests," the ministry said. "A total of 84 patients with chronic diseases diagnosed with the coronavirus infection have died."

According to the Ministry of Health, 2,072 patients have recovered and discharged from hospitals.

Belarus has not imposed lockdown restrictions. The Belarusian authorities continue preparations for the Victory Day Parade on May 9. The World Health Organization earlier advised Belarus to prepare for the worst-case scenario and highlighted the need for additional physical distancing measures.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged in late 2019 in China's Hubei province, and the virus has spread to 210 countries and territories since then.

To date, COVID-19 cases surpassed 3,161,000 globally, resulting in more than 975,000 recoveries and over 219,000 deaths.