Commuters move through a deserted market during a one-day Janata (civil) curfew imposed amid concerns over the spread of the COVID-19, near Jama Masjid mosque in the old quarters of New Delhi, India on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Billions of people around the world were confined to their homes on Sunday, as the coronavirus death toll crossed 13,000 and factories were shut down in worst-hit Italy after another record number of daily fatalities.

The raging pandemic has forced lockdowns in 35 countries across the globe, disrupting lives, travel and businesses as governments scramble to shut borders and unleash hundreds of billions in emergency measures to avoid a widespread virus-fuelled economic meltdown.

More than 300,000 infections have been confirmed worldwide, with the situation increasingly grim in Italy where the death toll spiked to more than 4,800 - over a third of the global total.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced a closure of all non-essential factories in a late-night TV address on Saturday.

The Mediterranean nation of 60 million is now the epicenter of the disease.

Italy has now reported more deaths than the Chinese mainland and fourth-placed Iran combined, and it has a death rate of 8.6 percent among confirmed COVID-19 infections - significantly higher than most other countries.

Across the Atlantic, more than a third of Americans were adjusting to life in various phases of lockdown, including in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles - the three biggest US cities. Other parts of the US are expected to ramp up restrictions as well.

"This is a time of shared national sacrifice, but also a time to treasure our loved ones," US President Donald Trump said. "We're going to have a great victory."

As world leaders have vowed to fight the pandemic, the number of deaths and infections have continued to rise, especially in Europe - the main global hot spot.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned in a TV address that the nation needs to prepare for "very hard days ahead."

Fatalities in France jumped to 562 as police officers said helicopters and drones were being deployed to boost the government's attempts to keep people in their homes.

The unprecedented measures to counter the spread of COVID-19 have shredded the international sports calendar, and pressure is mounting on Olympic organizers to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Games.

The pandemic has bludgeoned global stock markets, and the US - the world's biggest economy - is preparing a huge emergency stimulus package that could top $1 trillion.

Millions have been ordered to stay home in the US.

New Jersey on Saturday followed several states in telling residents to stay indoors. 

Governor Phil Murphy ordered all non-essential businesses to close their physical stores from 9 pm (0100 GMT Sunday).

Meanwhile in neighboring New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo warned that the disruption is likely to last for months, not weeks.

The US Food and Drug Administration also approved the first coronavirus test that can be conducted entirely at the point of care for a patient.

AFP