United Nations, May 8 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday said the coronavirus pandemic has "unleashed a tsunami of hate and xenophobia".

Without naming specific countries, Guterres called for an "all-out effort" to end this state of affairs, the BBC reported.

He said migrants and refugees were especially affected, adding they had been "vilified as a source of the virus - and then denied access to medical treatment".

The UN chief also called on the media to remove "racist, misogynist and harmful content", and on educational institutions to focus on digital literacy at a time where fake news continues to spread online.

The UN chief's remarks come as the global was nearing 4 million, while the death toll stood at 269,598.

As of Friday, the number of cases worldwide increased to 3,847,278, with the US accounting for the highest with 1,256,972 infections, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

The country also has the highest number of deaths at 75,670, while the UK leads Europe with 30,689 fatalities.