Coronavirus cases spike in France amid easing of lockdown; ICU patients fall in Italy
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Spain which along with Italy was hardest hit with the virus allowed the opening of small shops and churches as the country looked for a phased transition
France on Monday reported a spike in coronavirus cases as the country began easing lockdown restrictions which was imposed on March 17.
The country reported 263 deaths after today recording 70 deaths the previous day. The total death toll due to the virus has now risen to 26,643, the health ministry said with 177, 094 people infected with the virus.
Meanwhile, Italy's health department said that less than 1,000 people were in intensive care treatment for the first time since March 10 even as the daily death count rose slightly to 179 in the last 24 hours from 165 a day earlier.
There are now 219,814 cases of the virus in Italy which is one of the highest in the world. The government eased the virus lockdown restrictions on May 4 with churches, museums and shops set to reopen next week.
According to the government, bars and restaurants will reopen from June 1, along with hair and beauty salons amid fears of a second wave of the virus.
Spain which along with Italy was hardest hit with the virus allowed the opening of small shops and churches as the country looked for a phased transition through to end-June amid the pamdemic.
The country recorded 123 COVID-19 deaths which was 20 less than the previous day with 224,350 total infected cases which is the second highest in the world after the United States which has over 1.3 million cases
The death toll in Spain due to the virus has risen to 26,621, according to Johns Hopkins coronavirus resource center's live tracker.