Coronavirus: What's happening around the world on June 8

The latest:

• New York City's 'big test' begins with easing of some coronavirus restrictions.
• Lockdowns may have averted 3 million deaths in Europe, study suggests.
• With recovery of last case, New Zealand has eradicated the coronavirus.
• Italy's cultural cities strategize after tourism losses post-lockdown.
• INTERACTIVE | Who has died from COVID-19 in Canada?

The World Health Organization urged countries on Monday to press on with efforts to contain the novel coronavirus, noting the pandemic was worsening globally and had not yet peaked in Latin America.

More than 136,000 cases were reported worldwide on Sunday, "the most in a single day so far," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal," he told an online briefing.

In response to a question on China, WHO's top emergencies expert, Dr. Mike Ryan, said retrospective studies of how the outbreak has been addressed could wait: "We need to focus now on what we are doing today to prevent second peaks."

Concerns in Latin America

Ryan also said infections in Latin American were still on the rise, and that they were "complex" epidemics.

"I think this is a time of great concern," he said, calling for strong government leadership and international support for the region.

The Mexican government reported 2,999 new coronavirus cases on Monday, while confirmed total infections stand at 120,102, according to data from the health ministry. The country's official coronavirus death toll rose to 14,053.

Mexico began transitioning toward a gradual reopening of the economy and society — which President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador dubbed the "new normal" — despite all 31 states and the capital staying in the highest "red" level of alert as the government struggles to get the pandemic under control.

Brazil is now one of the hotspots of the pandemic, with the second-highest number of confirmed cases, behind only the United States, and a death toll that last week surpassed Italy's.

After removing cumulative numbers for coronavirus deaths in Brazil from a national website, the country's health ministry sowed further confusion and controversy by releasing two contradictory sets of figures for the latest tally of infection cases and fatalities.

Ryan said Brazil's data had been "extremely detailed" so far but stressed it was important for Brazilians to understand where the virus is and how to manage risk, and that the WHO hoped communication would be "consistent and transparent."

Maria van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist, told the briefing a "comprehensive approach" was essential in South America.

More than seven million people have been reported infected with the coronavirus globally and more than 400,000 have died.

"This is far from over," van Kerkhove said.

WATCH | Don't make assumptions about the coronavirus, epidemiologist says:

Don't make assumptions about the coronavirus, epidemiologist says

4 years ago

Duration 7:15

We don't know if antibodies will ultimately protect people from the coronavirus so it's still possible to get reinfected, says epidemiologist Dr. Christopher Labos.

The U.S. has  the most reported cases of any nation in the world at more than 1.9 million cases and more than 110,000 deaths, according to a case tracking tool maintained by Johns Hopkins University.

As of 6:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Canada had 96,244 confirmed and presumptive coronavirus cases, with 54,833 considered recovered or resolved. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial data, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 7,893.

The vast majority of cases in Canada have been reported in Quebec and Ontario. Ontario, which is expected to unveil how it plans to move into its next step of reopening, reported 243 new cases on Monday. Quebec reported 198 new cases on Monday, the lowest single-day figure since March 22.

Here's what's happening with COVID-19 in Canada

• Ontario reports 243 new COVID-19 cases as premier set to detail next stage of reopening.
• Exploitation, abuse, health hazards rise for migrant workers during COVID-19, group says.
• N.L. celebrates Alert Level 3 with no new cases of COVID-19.
• An inside look at how COVID-19 is changing Canadian hospitals.
• Canadian military to help long-term care home struggling with COVID-19 in Vaughan.
• A health-care worker got COVID-19 and survived — then lost her partner of 40 years to the illness.
• Nova Scotia researchers eye improvements to health-care system post COVID-19.

Read on for a look at what's happening around the world with COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

In the U.S., White House coronavirus task force co-ordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said she's worried about the potential impact widespread protests  — sparked by the death of George Floyd — may have on curbing the pandemic.

Birx said she's concerned shouting protesters may have spread the disease and that high-risk individuals attended some protests. She also noted many did not wear masks and that some testing sites were destroyed in the protests.

LISTEN | More than 1,000 health experts support protests despite COVID-19 risks:

The U.K. has recorded the lowest daily rise in the number of coronavirus deaths since March, when the country imposed lockdown measures. As of Sunday afternoon, official figures showed that a further 55 people died after testing positive with the virus. The total death toll rose to 40,597.

Scotland and Northern Ireland recorded no new deaths for the second day in a row. Mondays typically see a lower death figure because of a delay in reporting over the weekend.

United Nations General Assembly president Tijjani Muhammad-Bande said Monday world leaders will not be coming to New York City for their annual gathering in late September — for the first time in the 75-year history of the UN — because of the pandemic.

In South Africa, children began returning to classrooms on Monday. Classes were limited to 20 pupils and the school said it was giving them masks and gloves.

The country has recorded nearly 50,000 cases — the most on the continent — along with almost 1,000 deaths.

In Russia, Moscow is ending a tight lockdown that has been in place for more than two months. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said hairdressers and beauty salons will be allowed to reopen Tuesday, and cafes and restaurants will be able to open outdoor terraces starting June 16.

The number of daily infections in Moscow has dropped from a peak of about 6,700 to about 2,000 recently. Overall, Russia has registered over 476,000 infections, the world's third-highest caseload after the United States and Brazil, including 5,971 deaths. Moscow has accounted for nearly half of the nation's infections and coronavirus deaths. 

India reopened shopping malls and restaurants Monday and people trickled into temples and mosques wearing masks even as the country reported a record number of infections in a single day.

India's total number of coronavirus cases reached 256,611, the health ministry said, after a record one-day jump of 9,983 infections. Health experts say India's peak could still be weeks away, if not months. Deaths from COVID-19 stood at 7,135.

In Italy's northern Bergamo province, more than half of residents tested have COVID-19 antibodies, health authorities said Monday. Of the 9,965 residents who had blood tests between April 23 and June 3, 57 per cent had antibodies indicating they had come into contact with the coronavirus, a survey showed.

Italy has reported almost 34,000 deaths, with some 235,000 confirmed cases. The hard-hit Lombardy region, which includes Bergamo, has registered over 16,000 deaths.

Moldova says it has registered 1,449 cases during the first week of June — a record number —  as a former health minister described the pandemic situation in the country as "out of control."

Since its first confirmed case on March 7, Moldova — population 3.5 million — has registered 9,700 cases and 346 deaths.