Washington
The United States recorded 2,494 more coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, according to figures reported Saturday night by Johns Hopkins University.
The country now has an overall death toll of 53,511, with 936,293 confirmed infections, according to a tally by the Baltimore-based university at 8:30 p.m. (0030 GMT Sunday).
The United States is by far the hardest-hit country in the global pandemic, in terms of both confirmed infections and deaths. The toll of 2,494 was a jump from Friday, when the US recorded the lowest number of virus deaths, 1,258, in nearly three weeks.
The world total for number of people infected by the virus, and the death toll passed 200,000 late Thursday.
As France prepares to ease its strict lockdown, a poll has shown that support for the draconian measures aimed at halting the coronavirus spread has dropped below 50% for the first time.
The French government will announce details of its plan to slowly ease restrictions across the country from 11 May, including the phased reopening of schools, on Tuesday. The proposals will be introduced to the Assemblée Nationale and put to a vote of MPs.
A survey published this weekend showed that less than half the population – 43% – now supports the maintaining of strict “confinement” measures, down eight percentage points from the previous week.
However, if the confinement ends, 82% want the government to make free masks available to the general population. The poll by YouGov for the Huffington Post showed more than three quarters of French people support the continued ban on sporting and cultural events and almost as many say workers should be urged to work from home if they can.
However, the reopening of schools remains divisive, with teachers concerned that they are being used as part of attempts to widen public immunity to the virus.–Agencies
