Virus cases cross 4.5 million

Beaches in France and Italy opened yesterday and football fans awaited the return of major league action with Germany's Bundesliga set to kick off as global coronavirus cases topped 4.5 million mark.

The reopenings are a major sign of returning normality for countries hit hard by the pandemic, which has killed more than 307,000 people, wrought vast economic havoc and brought life to a halt.

But as countries lift restrictions to boost their stagnant economies, there have been widespread fears of a second wave of infections that could plunge the world back into lockdown.

Russia has announced its own football league will return next month and pushed ahead with plans to lift restrictions despite surging numbers of cases.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez yesterday said the country would extend its state of emergency for "about a month", until the transition out of lockdown is completed.

In France, the first weekend after the most strict measures were lifted saw many venture out into the spring sunshine.

With the European summer fast approaching, governments are moving to help their key tourism industries to salvage something from the wreckage.

Italy announced it would reopen to European holidaymakers from June 3 and scrap quarantine requirements for arrivals.

Malls opened in the Philippines' capital Manila yesterday, but saw only a trickle of customers.

Since emerging in the China city of Wuhan late last year, the novel coronavirus has affected almost every country in the world. The WHO has warned Africa, which has so far been spared the worst, could have 231 million infection and up to 190,000 could die.