Europe's coronavirus death toll passed 170,000, with the lion's share of deaths recorded in the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Spain, according to an AFP tally.

With 170,032 deaths out of 1,957,819 cases, Europe is the hardest-hit continent by the pandemic that has swept the globe since it first emerged in China in December.

Britain has the highest death toll in Europe with 35,704 fatalities, followed by Italy with 32,330, France with 28,132 and Spain's 27,888.