US coronavirus death toll tops 5,000

The death toll from the novel coronavirus in the U.S. pushed past the 5,000 mark Thursday, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.

The number of infected cases rose to 216,721, while 8,672 have recovered from the virus.

Most of the deaths were reported in New York state. New York City is the epicenter of the virus in the U.S., where 1,374 fatalities have been recorded.

The Maryland-based university's data showed worldwide infections at nearly the 937,600 mark, with more than 47,000 deaths. Over 194,000 have recovered from infections.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China in December, the virus also known as COVID-19 has spread to at least 180 countries and regions.