Paris - The number of people infected by the coronavirus continued to surge in Europe over the past week, keeping the continent at the epicentre of the pandemic.

A weekly roundup from AFP's specialised database:

- Sharp increase in Europe -

The pandemic continued to rampage over the past week across the world with a record average of 476,000 new daily cases, 20 percent more than during the previous seven-day period, according to an AFP tally on Friday at 1100 GMT.

Again it is in Europe that the acceleration is most marked, with a huge 40 percent increase.

Europe recorded 241,000 new cases a day, against 15,000 at the start of July.

Coronavirus cases by world region over the last week

The continent is by far the region recording the highest number of cases, ahead of the United States and Canada with 80,000 new cases a day, an increase of 27 percent on the previous week.

The number of infections also increased in the Middle East, by 13 percent, as well as in Latin America (three percent more).

It was better news for Oceania and Asia, where the number of infections decreased by 20 percent and 15 percent respectively. In Africa too, there was a drop of two percent.

The number of confirmed cases only reflects a fraction of the actual number of infections, as different countries have different counting practices and levels of testing.

- Biggest increases -

Croatia is the place where the pandemic advanced the quickest, with a 90 percent increase, or 2,000 cases per day.

Austria just behind suffered an 89 percent increase, up yo 3,200 cases per day, ahead of Slovenia (88 percent, 1,900 cases), Switzerland (87 percent, 6,800), Sweden (86 percent, 1,700), Bosnia and Herzegovina (83 percent, 1,300), Bulgaria (80 percent, 1,700), Italy (79 percent, 21,600) and Germany (75 percent, 12,700). All are in Europe.

Covid-19 hospital admissions across Europe over last seven days

- Biggest drops -

Israel, which recently emerged from  a nationwide lockdown, has enjoyed the biggest decrease in infections, with a 54 percent drop (down to 600 daily cases).

Nepal's daily tally dropped by 39 percent (to an average of 2,300 cases), followed by Ireland, which returned to lockdown last week (-28 percent, 800 cases), India (-17 percent, 47,600) and the Philippines (-14 percent, 1,900).

World map showing the number of Covid-19 deaths

- Most infections -

By country, the United States recorded the greatest number of new infections this week, with an average of 77,200 cases per day, ahead of India (47,600) and France (40,500).

While the number of infections is on the decline in India (-17 percent), it is getting worse in the United States (up 27 percent) and in particular France (50 percent more).

Brazil comes next with 24,400 cases or 11 percent more, Britain (22,100 cases, 13 percent), Italy (21,600, 79 percent) and Spain (19,100, 28 percent).

Coronavirus: what is the R0 reproduction rate?

- Deaths -

The United States mourned the most deaths in the past week with an average of 809 per day, ahead of India (559), Brazil (438), Mexico (411), Argentina (355), Iran (352), Russia (294) and France (259).

The pandemic has cost the lives of at least 1,182,840 people since it first emerged in China late last year, out of more than 45.1 million confirmed infections.

The United States is the worst-affected country with 228,675 deaths, followed by Brazil with 158,969, India with 121,090, Mexico with 90,773 and Britain with 45,955.

COVID-19: interactive graphic showing global infections and deaths