COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus on 13 July

1. How COVID-19 is affecting the globe

Global confirmed coronavirus cases have passed 12.9 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 569,000 people are known to have died from the virus, while over 7.1 million are known to have recovered.

More than 230,000 new infections were reported to the World Health Organization on 12 July - a global one-day record.

Florida recorded more than 15,000 new cases on 12 July - the highest one-day total for any state since the pandemic began. If it were a country it would rank 4th for most new daily cases, after the US, Brazil and India, according to a Reuters analysis.

The Philippines has reported its biggest daily jump in COVID-19 deaths, with 162 reported on 13 July, which is also a one-day high for Southeast Asia.

Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan is being treated in hospital with mild COVID-19 symptoms, alongside his actor son Abhishek. Abhishek's actress wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and their eight-year-old daughter have also tested positive.

With just over 35,000 deaths, Mexico has passed Italy to become the country with the fourth highest number of deaths - after the US, Brazil and the UK.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has told Reuters the Olympics must take place in 2021 as a "symbol of the world coming together to overcome this tough situation".

2. 10 million children 'may never return to school' after COVID-19 lockdown

COVID-19 is causing the biggest global education emergency ever, a children's charity has warned, with up to 9.7 million children at risk of dropping out of school as child poverty rises.

Analysis by Save The Children shows COVID-19 may affect both the funding and the delivery of education in some of the countries most at risk of falling behind. It could reverse progress towards UN's Sustainable Development Goal 4 - a good quality education for every last child.

"We know from previous crises that the longer children are out of school, the greater the risk that they do not return to school. We expect education budgets to be under pressure as governments shift spending towards the health and economic response to the pandemic."

Almost 10 million children are at risk of dropping out of school altogether and Save The Children has identified the 12 countries at ‘extreme risk’ of falling behind in their progress towards SDG4.

Save The Children estimates the pandemic could lead to an education financing gap in low- and middle-income countries of $77 billion over the next two years.

3. WHO launch virtual health worker to bust COVID-19 myths, help smokers quit

The World Health Organization has launched the world's first virtual health worker to help the world's 1.3 billion tobacco users quit and dispel COVID-19 myths during the pandemic.

Powered by artificial intelligence, Florence is available 24/7 via video stream or text and helps tobacco users develop a personalized plan to reach their goal.

At a media briefing on 10 July, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the Access Initiative for Quitting Tobacco, which will first be rolled out in Jordan.

"Smoking kills eight million people a year, but if users need more motivation to kick the habit, the pandemic provides the right incentive," he said.

"Evidence reveals that smokers are more vulnerable than non-smokers to developing a severe case of COVID-19."