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"Test, test, test".

That was the message from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday as it urged countries to check more people for COVID-19, Euronews reported. 

"The most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of transmission," said Tedros Adhanom, director-general of WHO.

"And to do that we must test and isolate.

"You cannot fight a fire blindfolded. And we can't fight this pandemic if we don't know who is infected."

Adhanom also expressed concern about the virus reaching low-income countries. COVID-19 is now in at least half of African countries.

"As the virus moves to low-income countries, we are deeply concerned about the impact it could have among populations with high HIV prevalence or among malnourished children.

"That's why we're calling on every country and every individual to do everything they can do to stop transmission," said Adhanom.

"Washing your hands will reduce risk of infection but it's also an act of solidarity because it reduces the risk you will infect others in your community and around the world. Do it for yourself, do it for others."

The World Health Organization's update comes with Spain now the fourth most infected nation in the world after reporting 1,000 new cases of coronavirus, taking total infections to 8,744.

In neighbouring France, the country's national health director Jérôme Salomon said on Monday that the situation in the country was "very worrying" and "deteriorating rapidly".

"Many people have not understood that you have to stay at home," Salomon said on Monday in an interview with France Inter, adding that this has prevented the country from slowing down the epidemic.

France has a total of 5,423 cases, with 127 deaths recorded.