The Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil has been lit up with the flags of countries affected by the coroanvirus pandemic. 

Various flags were projected onto the statue in Rio de Janeiro in an act of solidarity as countries around the world grapple with the outbreak. 

Also projected onto the statue were messages of hope and the hashtag #praytogether in various languages.

Brazil has been the hardest hit country in Latin America, with 621 confirmed cases as of Thursday. 

But in other parts of the world, cases have soared into the tens of thousands, with Europe becoming the new epicentre of the virus just as life was starting to return to normal in China. 

On Friday, the death toll in Italy - Europe's worst affected country - rose to 3,400, surpassing that of China, while the number of deaths in Spain surged to 1,000. 

Worldwide, there were over 246,000 confirmed cases and 10,000 deaths as of Friday. 

Christ the Redeemer, which stands at 125ft tall and normally attracts around two million visitors a year, was closed on Tuesday due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

The light show coincided with a mass at the landmark led by Archbishop Orani João Tempesta, who used the occasion to call on the faithful to pray for the sick.