Global coronavirus cases near two million as some countries move to ease lockdown measures

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The worldwide number of confirmed coronavirus cases is nearing two million as countries across the globe begin to consider easing lockdown measures.

Many nations are living under restrictions on freedom of movement to combat Covid-19, and officials around the world are worried that halting these could undo the hard-earned progress.

However, despite the global total number of cases nearing the grim milestone of two million, there were signs some countries were looking in that direction.

Spain has permitted some workers to return to their jobs, while a hard-hit region of Italy loosened its lockdown restrictions.

And governors on both coasts of the US announced that they would join forces to come up with a coordinated reopening at some point.

This set the stage for a potential conflict with US president Donald Trump, who on Monday night asserted that he is the ultimate decision-maker for determining how and when to reopen.

In the US, about half of the more than 22,000 deaths reported are in the New York metropolitan area.

Despite some moves towards easing stay-at-home orders, in France and in the UK the lockdowns were continuing with little sign of change.

French President Emmanuel Macron ordered that the country’s restrictions would continue for another month as he admitted the country had not been prepared for the outbreak.

The death toll in France from the new coronavirus outbreak has risen to 14,967 from 14,393 a day earlier, the French public health authority said.

The body added 6,821 patients were currently in intensive care units, down from 6,845 on Sunday.

In Britain, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was reportedly poised to extend stay-at-home measures in force across the nation for at least another three weeks.

Mr Raab is deputising for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he continues his recovery after leaving intensive care following a battle with Covid-19.

On Monday he showed some cautious optimism as he revealed the latest data suggested the UK was "starting to win this struggle," three weeks after restrictions were imposed.

The number of people who have died with coronavirus in UK hospitals has jumped by 717.

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The latest figures bring the UK death toll to 11,329 as of 5pm on Sunday, the Department of Health said.

As of 9am on Monday, 290,720 people have been tested of which 88,621 tested positive for Covid-19.

Overall, 367,667 tests have concluded, with 14,506 tests carried out on Sunday. The test figures exclude Northern Ireland.

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