Coronavirus latest: European countries prepare reopening as infections pass 4 million worldwide

South Korea’s capital orders all clubs and bars to be closed after a burst of new cases emerges; Malaysia extends partial lockdown

Two members of the White House coronavirus task force place themselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive

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Women ride a bicycle past the Colosseum monument in Rome. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:54am, 10 May 2020Updated: 11:07pm, 10 May 2020

The number of coronavirus cases worldwide topped four million as some of the hardest-hit countries on Sunday readied to lift lockdown restrictions despite concern about a second wave of infections.

Governments are trying to stop the spread of the deadly disease while scrambling for ways to relieve pressure on their economies, which are facing a historic downturn with millions pushed into unemployment.

In Spain, about half the population will be allowed out on Monday for limited socialisation, and restaurants will be able to offer some outdoor service as the country begins a phased transition set to last through June. With lingering fears of a resurgence, authorities excluded Madrid and Barcelona – two Covid-19 hotspots – from the first phase.

Belgium is also easing some restrictions on Monday, and in some parts of Germany, bars and restaurants reopened on Saturday with further easing set for Monday.

In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected on Sunday evening to lay out a plan for the nation to emerge out of its current lockdown.

In the United States, the country with the highest death toll and where more than 20 million people have lost their jobs, President Donald Trump has insisted that next year would be “phenomenal” for the economy, urging reopening despite the virus still claiming well over 1,000 lives daily in the country.