Number of people worldwide to have recovered from coronavirus passes 1m mark
1 May 2020, 09:54
The number of people worldwide to have recovered from coronavirus has passed one million, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The US has the largest total for people to have successfully fought off the disease, with 153,947 recovered.
They are followed by Germany on 123,500 recoveries, Spain on 112,050 recoveries, China 78,523, Italy, 75,945 and Iran on 75,103.
Countries around the world have begun to ease their covid-19 lockdown conditions.
China, where the outbreak is understood to have originated, has reopened Beijing's parks and museums, including the ancient Forbidden City, after being closed for months due to the pandemic.
The Forbidden City, once home to China's emperors, is permitting just 5,000 visitors daily, down from 80,000. Parks are allowing people to visit at 30% of the usual capacity.
Large-scale group activities remain on hold and visitors must book tickets in advance online as Beijing downgraded its level of emergency response to the virus from first to second tier. Temperature checks and social distancing remain in force at the start of the five-day May holiday period.
Health authorities released a map showing the country's areas that are the most affected by the virus which will serve as a reference when the country will ease confinement measures after May 11.
The north-eastern part of France, including the whole Paris region, has been placed in "red zone" as the map is based on an estimation of the virus circulation and the burden on intensive care units in local hospitals.
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The government said "green zones" will be able to lift some restrictions more rapidly. Health minister Olivier Veran said final decisions will be made based on the evolution of the map next week.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said authorities will allow religious services to resume and let museums, zoos, galleries and playgrounds re-open as part of the gradual loosening of the lockdown.
Mrs Merkel said after meeting with governors of Germany's 16 states that it was important to remain "disciplined" to ensure successful efforts to curb the coronavirus outbreak are not undone.
A total of 233,416 people have died with Covid-19, according to figures collected by Johns Hopkins University in the US. Worldwide, 3,257,660 people have been infected.
