The number of deaths attributed to the global coronavirus epidemic in Belgium has increased sharply and passed the 1,000 mark, AFP reported.

The official toll in the country of 11.4 million has doubled over the past three days, in part because figures have been updated with a backlog of fatalities from retirement homes.

There have now been 1,001 deaths and 15,348 officially recorded cases in the country since the start of the outbreak, officials said.