US President Donald Trump has extended federal guidelines on social distancing until April 30 after a top health official warned more than 100,000 people could die from the coronavirus in the United States.

The announcement on Sunday evening came as the death toll in hard-hit New York state passed 1,000.

“The modeling estimates that the peak in death rate is likely to hit in two weeks,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “Therefore, the next two weeks and during this period it’s very important that everyone strongly follow the guidelines … We will be extending our guidelines to April 30th to slow the spread.”

This is as the disease has now infected more than 723,594 people with 33,998 deaths, figures seen by WuzupNigeria this morning has shown.

151,824 people have recovered from the virus, which has hit 199 countries and territories around the world.

Two international conveyances – the Diamond Princess Cruise ship harboured in Yokohama, Japan, and the Holland America’s MS Zaandam cruise ship – were also affected, according to the figures.

The virus has now affected all the continents of the world across almost 195 countries and territories recognised by the United Nations (UN) as well as 39 dependencies and other territories.

The United States (U.S) with 142,735 cases and 2,489 deaths was ahead of the top 10 countries as at last night. It was being trailed by Italy with 97,689 cases and 10,779 deaths.

China, where the infection started, has recorded 81,470 cases with 3,300 fatalities.

Others on the top 10 chart are: Spain with 78,799 cases and 6,606 deaths; Germany (58,247 cases and 455 deaths); Iran (38,309 patients and 2,640 fatalities); France (37,575 cases and 2,314 deaths); United Kingdom (UK) 19,522 cases and 1,228 deaths; Switzerland (14,829 cases and 300 fatalities and Netherlands (10,866 cases and 771 deaths.

Belgium, which was occupying the 11th position with 10,836 patients and 431 deaths, has overtaken South Korea with 9,583 cases and 152 fatalities.

With the U.S. statistics, a top public health official, Anthony Fauci, said the country would likely end up with millions of cases.

Fauci, who made the statement while speaking on the Cable Network News (CNN), cautioned that the death toll in the U.S. could rise above 100,000, but he was, however, hesitant to make projections.

Fauci, the Head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, also said the country’s testing capacity remained somewhat weak.

Coronavirus has now spread to dozens of the 47 countries of the WHO Africa region, with 2,650 infected and 49 dead, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said at the weekend.

The WHO stands ready to support all countries in the fight against the virus, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said on Twitter.

Countries with weaker health systems must act aggressively to contain spread among early cases and prevent community transmission, he said.