Daily coronavirus cases, deaths in Spain again drop: Live updates
For the fourth day in a row, the numbers have dropped from the previous day in Spain as global deaths pass 70,000.
Spain has reported 4,273 new cases of the coronavirus with 637 new deaths, the fourth day the daily totals have declined from the previous day.
The total deaths in the country from COVID-19 as of Monday stands at 13,055 among 135,032 cases. The new numbers offer another glimmer of hope in Europe, after Italy on Sunday saw its death toll at its lowest in more than two weeks and its infection curve finally on a downward slope.
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Meanwhile, the United States entered one of the most critical weeks so far in the coronavirus crisis with government officials warning the death toll in states such as New York, Michigan and Louisiana was a sign of trouble to come in other states.
In the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to a hospital for tests, in what his office said was a "precautionary step". He remains in charge of the government.
Globally, the death toll from COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new virus, has passed 70,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, while the number of infections rose above 1.28 million.
Here are the latest updates:
Monday, April 6
15:38 GMT - Sweden's central bank to offer loans directly to companies
Sweden's central bank will extend its loan programme to individual companies, it said, in a bid to reach businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
The Riksbank announced a loan scheme of 500 billion Swedish crowns ($49bn) last month, intended as a means to provide money to struggling businesses via the country's banks, but the uptake so far has been limited.
"To enable these changes, adjusted, more generous terms will be applied," the Riksbank said in a statement. "They also apply to the monetary policy counterparties that have already taken loans within the programme."
15:36 GMT - Singapore reports 66 new cases, total 1,375
Singapore's health ministry confirmed 66 more coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of cases in the city-state to 1,375.
Only one was an imported case while the others were locally transmitted. Of the new cases, 35 were linked to clusters at foreign worker dormitories.
Singapore said on Sunday it had quarantined nearly 20,000 workers in two dormitories, made up of mainly Bangladeshi and other South Asian manual workers, after they were linked to at least 90 infections.
15:14 GMT - Merkel: EU faces its biggest test with coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic is the European Union's biggest test, Chancellor Angela Merkel said, adding that it was important that the bloc emerges strong from the economic crisis unleashed by the coronavirus.
"In my view, Europe, the European Union is facing the biggest test since its foundation," Merkel said. "We have a big health challenge that is impacting all member states however differently."
15:12 GMT - Masters 2020 tournament postponed
The 2020 Masters Tournament has been provisionally rescheulded for November 12-15, Augusta National Golf Club has said.
14:58 GMT - Epidemic under control in Norway: Health minister
The COVID-19 epidemic is under control in Norway, the Nordic country's health minister said, pointing to the low rate of transmission of the disease.
A person carrying the novel coronavirus in Norway contaminates now on average 0.7 other individual, Bent Hoeie told a news conference. The government's goal was to limit the spread to maximum one other person.
The government will decide on Wednesday whether to extend ongoing restrictions, including the closures of schools and nurseries, beyond mid-April.
14:31 GMT - Dow surges almost 900 points
Wall Street's major stock indexes all rallied at the start of a new trading week on Monday, as investors took heart from a deceleration in coronavirus-related deaths and new cases in Europe, and a drop in virus-deaths in United States hot spot New York state.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average opened up 892.02 points or 4.24 percent at 21,944.55. The S&P 500 index- a gauge for the performance of US retirement and college savings plans - opened up 3.90 percent while the Nasdaq Composite Index finished the session up 3.75 percent.
Read more here.
A man wearing a protective mask walks by street art in New York City [Cindy Ord/Getty Images/AFP]
14:20 GMT - Golf-2020 Open Championship cancelled
The 149th Open Championsip due to be played at Royal St George's from July 16-19 has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, golf's governing body the R&A announced.
"The R&A has decided to cancel The Open in 2020 due to the current Covid-19 pandemic," it said in a statement. "The Championship will next be played at Royal St George's in 2021."
13:45 GMT - IMF encouraged by recovery in China
The International Monetary Fund cited limited but encouraging signs of recovery in China, the first country to suffer the full force of the COVID-19 pandemic, but said it could not rule out a resurgence of the pandemic in China and elsewhere.
Top IMF economists said in a blog that the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus had pushed the world into a recession that would be worse than the global financial crisis, and called for a global, coordinated health and economic policy response.
"The economic damage is mounting across all countries, tracking the sharp rise in new infections and containment measures put in place by governments," the IMF experts wrote.
13:27 GMT - Boris Johnson: I'm in good spirits doing routine tests
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he undergoing routine tests for coronavirus symptoms but was in good spirits and in touch with his team.
"On the advice of my doctor, I went into hospital for some routine tests as I’m still experiencing coronavirus symptoms," Johnson said on Twitter.
"I’m in good spirits and keeping in touch with my team as we work together to fight this virus and keep everyone safe."
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