ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

At least 336,019 people in Africa have contracted the coronavirus as of Thursday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Some 8,856 patients have died due to virus-related complications, while 160,800 patients have recovered across the continent thus far, it said in its latest update.

In Southern Africa, the hardest-hit in terms of number of cases, 116,600 people tested positive, while North Africa recorded 87,800 infections.

West Africa confirmed 66,600 cases, East Africa 33,300 and Central Africa 31,800.

The nation of South Africa alone confirmed 111,800 cases, Egypt 59,600, Nigeria 22,000, Sudan 8,900 and Cameroon 12,600.

At least 3,700 people died of the virus in North Africa, 2,300 in Southern Africa, 1,200 in West Africa, 990 in East Africa, and 690 in Central Africa.

More than 59,200 patients have recovered in Southern Africa, 35,800 in West Africa, 35,300 in North Africa, 15,800 in Central Africa and 14,800 in East Africa.

The pandemic has killed nearly 483,000 people worldwide, with an excess of 9.43 million confirmed cases, and over 4.74 million recoveries, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.