US, Europe battle fresh coronavirus surges even as Beijing eases lockdown

Countries have been balancing the need to reopen economies shattered by coronavirus shutdowns with the need to maintain sufficient measures to prevent a feared second wave.

The United States, Australia and Europe battled a resurgence of coronavirus cases as warnings mounted worldwide on Friday over reopening lockdowns too soon.

A major Australian city also faced a dangerous uptick in infections, while the pandemic also continues to pummel Latin America.

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Beijing has partially lifted a weeks-long lockdown imposed in the Chinese capital to head off a feared second wave of coronavirus infections.

More than 4,80,000 people worldwide have died from COVID-19 since it emerged in China late last year and cases are expected to reach 10 million across the globe within the next week.

UNITED STATES

After hitting a two-month plateau, the rate of new cases is now soaring in southern and western states.

Texas has now been forced to halt its phased reopening.

The United States recorded 37,667 cases and 692 deaths in 24 hours, with nearly 122,000 lives lost overall -- by far the highest confirmed toll in the world.

LATIN AMERICA

Brazil, the hardest-hit country in the region, had close to 55,000 deaths and 1.2 million infections, while Mexico on Thursday surpassed 25,000 fatalities.

UK

In Britain -- which has the worst death toll in Europe so far with 43,230 lives lost -- people were urged to abide by social distancing rules after tens of thousands of people descended on beaches during a heatwave.

The seaside resort of Bournemouth declared a major incident on Thursday after thousands flocked to its beach on the hottest day of the year.

Police also criticised the number of fans who gathered outside Liverpool's Anfield ground on Thursday night after the club secured the English Premier League football title for the first time in 30 years.

Health authorities recorded 1,109 new coronavirus infections in the previous 24 hours, bringing Ukraine's total to more than 41,000.

AUSTRALIA

Supermarkets imposed purchase limits on toilet paper across the country Friday following panic buying by people rattled over a surge in coronavirus cases in Melbourne, the country's second-biggest city.

The successful containment now stands threatened by the 30 new cases confirmed overnight in Melbourne, the 10th straight day of double-digit rises in new cases in the city and surrounding Victoria state.

Airlines have also suffered, with the Dutch government announcing a 3.4 billion euro bailout for Air France-KLM, Australia's Qantas announcing it was cutting 6,000 staff and Germany's Lufthansa getting the EU's green light for a $10 billion state rescue.

CHINA

Eleven new virus cases across Beijing were announced on Friday, bringing the total number of infections in the capital since the June 11 outbreak to 280.

The lockdown was eased on Tuesday for seven apartment blocks after residents tested negative for the virus, officials said at a Friday briefing. The remaining blocks are still in lockdown.

Dozens of residential compounds across the city were shut down, with authorities rolling out a mass testing campaign to root out any remaining cases.

A vast majority of them are linked to the sprawling Xinfadi market in the city's south that supplies about 80 percent of Beijing's fresh produce and meat.

Food market workers and visitors, nearby residents, restaurant workers and delivery couriers have been the prime targets of mass testing so far as fears began to mount over the hygiene of Beijing's food supply.

The world meanwhile awaits a vaccine or treatment that authorities say is likely to take until at least early next year and probably longer.

(with inputs from AFP)