European nations tighten rules for Easter holiday; UK deaths top 10,000

LONDON－British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been discharged from a London hospital where he was treated in intensive care for the novel coronavirus.

"On the advice of his medical team, the PM will not be immediately returning to work. He wishes to thank everybody at St Thomas' for the brilliant care he has received," a Downing Street spokesman said.

Johnson, 55, was moved to a general ward on Thursday evening after spending three days in intensive care. He was taken to the hospital on April 5, 10 days after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

In his first comments since leaving intensive care, Johnson said he owed his life to hospital staff.

"I can't thank them enough. I owe them my life," he said in comments that were released to journalists and confirmed by his office on Sunday.

The United Kingdom reported more than 10,000 deaths from the virus as of Sunday, the fifth highest national number globally.

As the number of COVID-19 infections continued to rise, European governments have urged the public to stick to confinement measures during the Easter holiday weekend.

In Italy, where the novel coronavirus pandemic has claimed 19,468 lives, Extraordinary Commissioner for the Coronavirus Emergency Domenico Arcuri warned about underestimating the risks of the pandemic.

"This dramatic emergency will finally be behind us only after an effective vaccine is discovered. Without it there is only one antidote left: our behavior, which must all work in the direction of preventing and containing contagion."

Arcuri also said a new COVID-19 center would be set up within Celio military hospital in Rome, which will add to the other COVID-19 hospitals already active across Italy, and it will receive the first ventilators for coronavirus patients in the next few days.

The Italian Interior Ministry issued a stern notice on the eve of Easter festivities, which for Italians would normally coincide with open-air trips and family lunches.

"Police controls have been strengthened across the country, and especially with the Easter holiday (Sunday and Monday)," the ministry said on Saturday.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Friday the government's decision to extend the end of the national lockdown from April 13 to May 3.

The virus had infected 152,271 people in Italy by Saturday.

Spanish authorities said 10 million face masks will be distributed at major train and subway stations.

Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska made the announcement on Saturday, two days before factory and construction workers will be allowed to go back to work.

The country reported 619 new deaths on Sunday, a rise for the first time in three days. Total confirmed cases rose to 166,019.

In France, where there have been more than 130,000 infections, security forces were fanning out around the country to ensure people respected the stay-home mantra over the Easter weekend.

About 160,000 police were posted at highway entrances and other critical transiting spots for people trying to escape city life. Police on horseback combed beaches and parks along the northern French coast.

Solidarity within Europe

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Saturday called for solidarity within Europe, saying that "Germany cannot emerge from the crisis strong and healthy if our neighbors are not strong and healthy".

In a rare televised speech, Steinmeier said international solidarity should bring about a global alliance to search for a COVID-19 vaccine, and that "the poorest countries in the world, which are the most vulnerable, should have equal access" to any such treatment.

By Sunday 120,479 people in Germany had contracted the virus, of whom 2,673 had died.

Xinhua - Agencies