<span style="color: #222222;">The COVID-19  pandemic  death toll soared to 12,725 worldwide  as worst-hit Italy reported a one-day record number of deaths  nearly 800, with the country's overall toll shooting past 4,800. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">France's toll jumped by 112 to 562, as police officials said helicopters and drones are being deployed to boost the government's attempts to keep people in their homes.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' China reported no new local infections for a third straight day yesterday, and the WHO said the central city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged late last year, offered a glimmer of hope for the rest of the world.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' But there are growing concerns of a new wave of imported infections in the region, with Hong Kong reporting 48 suspected cases yesterday which is  its biggest daily jump since the crisis began.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' The shadow of the novel coronavirus is lengthening across Africa and the Middle East as well.<br />'' Cases stand at more than 1,000 across Africa, where health care systems are fragile and social distancing is difficult in many crowded cities.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' The Democratic Republic of Congo, Finland, Lithuania and Mauritius all reported their first virus deaths Saturday.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' In Iran, which reported 123 new deaths yesterday, President Hassan Rouhani promised the country would overcome the outbreak – but refused to join the rest of the world in imposing heavy restrictions.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"><br />'' Iran has had more than 1,500 deaths and some 20,000 infections linked to COVID-19.<br />''<br />''In Latin America, Bolivia ordered citizens to stay at home starting Sunday, and Colombia said it would begin mandatory isolation from Tuesday.</span>