Spain, Austria ease virus restrictions as global cases near 2 million

Spain and Austria have begun to ease coronavirus-related restrictions, allowing some businesses to reopen, while other nations like Britain, France, and India have extended their lockdowns.

Globally, nearly 2 million people have been infected with the virus, resulting in over 119,200 deaths, with the United States now being the epicenter of the pandemic.

The International Monetary Fund projects a 3% contraction in the world economy this year, the most severe downturn since the Great Depression.

The World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned that the global outbreak has not yet peaked, noting that while new cases are decreasing in some parts of Europe, they are increasing in Britain and Turkey.

In Spain, the overnight death toll from the coronavirus rose to 567 on Tuesday from 517 a day earlier, but the country reported its lowest increase in new cases since March 18, with total deaths climbing to 18,056.

Roberto Aguayo, a 50-year-old construction worker in Barcelona, expressed relief that his industry is reopening, stating, "We really needed it, just when we were going to run out of food we returned to work."

Italy, with the second-highest death toll globally, continues to enforce strict movement restrictions, while Denmark plans to reopen elementary schools and daycare centers on April 15.

Austria, which acted early in imposing restrictions, has seen a stabilization in hospitalizations and a relatively low death toll of 384, with thousands of shops reopening on Tuesday.