The number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed the 30 million mark on Friday, with some 940,000 deaths for a mortality rate of around 3 percent, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.

The United States remains the country with the highest number of infections at more than 6.6 million cases, followed by India with over 5 million cases and Brazil with nearly 4.5 million. Russia has also confirmed more than 1 million cases.

The global number of novel coronavirus infections topping 30 million in a tally by the Johns Hopkins University, as shown on its website on Sept. 18, 2020. (Kyodo)

Japan's tally stood at around 77,000 cases with nearly 1,500 deaths.

The pace of infections has been increasing, taking 38 days to add 10 million and surpass the 30 million mark compared with the 44 days it took to reach the 20 million threshold after the world's total number of cases topped 10 million June 28.

Due to the expansion of coronavirus testing and resumption of socioeconomic activities, confirmed cases worldwide have been increasing by more than 200,000 a day since July.

Pedestrians near the Eaton Centre maintain distance as COVID-19 case numbers rise in the province of Ontario and in Toronto. Sept. 16, 2020. (Toronto Star/Getty/Kyodo)