The global coronavirus death toll has hit 3,000 following a sudden spike in Italian cases.

Five fatalities were announced in Italy today, taking its death toll to 34 as infection continues to cripple the country's northern regions.

Total patient numbers rose to 1,694 after the Civil Protection Agency revealed roughly 500 fresh positive tests this evening - an alarming 50 per cent climb in just 24 hours.

The outbreak is the second largest outside of mainland China and is steadily seeping across the continent, despite the infection hotbeds of Lombardy and Veneto on lock-down.