The global coronavirus cases surpassed 2.5 million on Tuesday, according to a running tally by the US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The university's data showed that the global number of deaths reached 171,718, while the number of people who recovered stands at 659,732.

A total of 2,501,156 cases are recorded worldwide and the US continues to be the worst-hit country, with the highest numbers of infections and deaths, more than 788,100 and nearly 42,400, respectively.

While Italy has the second-highest death toll with 24,114, Spain is the second country with the highest cases over 204,178.

China, ground zero of the virus, registered over 83,800 cases but has not reported any fatalities since it confirmed nearly %50 rise in its death toll -- bringing number of deaths from 3,345 to 4,636 -- last Thursday. Those figures continue to raise questions in and outside China.

Overall, the virus has spread to 185 countries since it first emerged in China in December.

Despite the rising number of cases, most who contract the virus suffer mild symptoms before making a recovery.