This photo taken on April 16, 2020 shows the Herron private nursing home in Dorval, west of Montreal, in Canada. The discovery of 31 deaths at the nursing home has prompted an investigation into alleged negligence after caregivers fled amid a coronavirus outbreak, leaving elderly residents to fend for themselves. (ERIC THOMAS / AFP)

PARIS / CAPE TOWN / MADRID / NEW YORK / SAO PAULO / ROME / BUCHAREST / HELSINKI / LONDON / GENEVA / MEXICO CITY / UNITED NATIONS / CAIRO / OTTAWA / BERLIN / MOSCOW / BUDAPEST / KIEV / STOCKHOLM - Sweden said on Thursday it would introduce a limit on how much punters could gamble in online casinos for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak as isolated individuals increasingly turn to such sites for entertainment.

With football and other organized sports shut down by restrictions in place to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, and many Swedes spending more time at home, the use of online slot machines and casino games has rocketed, government officials said.

The government said it planned to limit the amount gamblers can transfer into online casino accounts to 5,000 Swedish crowns (US$495) a week. A similar limit would apply to losses on online slot machines.

Sweden has reported 16,004 cases of COVID-19 infection and 1,937 deaths.

Canada

Canada's second most populous province has called on the Canadian Armed Forces to help handle an alarming spate of outbreaks in longterm care centers for seniors, following an earlier unsuccessful attempt to recruit medical specialists and nurses.

Francois Legault, the premier of Quebec, has asked the Canadian government to send 1,000 soldiers to help staff the province's nursing homes. The soldiers will supplement support already being provided by the Canadian military, including 65 troops with medical training on site at long-term care facilities in the region of Montreal, Quebec's largest city.

Quebec's premier has asked the Canadian government to send 1,000 soldiers to help staff the province's nursing homes following an earlier unsuccessful attempt to recruit medical specialists and nurses

On Wednesday, Quebec's death toll was 1,134, but the number of longterm care residences with outbreaks has more than doubled in the past week from 41 to 85. It was estimated that nearly 2 percent of Quebec's healthcare workers, or as many as 4,000, have tested positive for COVID-19.

Canada's largest province of Ontario also called for military assistance at five badly hit long-term care homes, which Premier Doug Ford characterized on Wednesday as being caught up in a "raging wildfire."

Nationwide Canada has reported 1,728 deaths and 38,932 confirmed cases, according to the public health agency.

Some Canadian jurisdictions are planning to ease restrictions imposed on businesses and services. 

Quebec expects to announce plans for reopening schools and businesses next week, said Premier Francois Legault.

The western province of Saskatchewan is due to unveil a plan on Thursday to start lifting restrictions on businesses and individuals' movement. The tiny Atlantic province of Prince Edward Island says it will start relaxing the shutdown on May 1. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday that Ottawa would spend another C$9 billion on programs to help students find summer jobs.

Global toll

Confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide topped 2.6 million on Wednesday, and the global death toll topped 181,000, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

ALSO READ: WHO chief calls on US to reconsider funding freeze

The United States reported more than 834,000 cases, four times the total of Spain. Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have all reported over 100,000 cases, the tally showed.

The United States also recorded the highest death toll with more than 45,894 fatalities. Countries with more than 10,000 fatalities also included Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom, the CSSE said. 

A man wearing a face mask walks past a mural of an National Health Service worker in central London, as Britain remains under lockdown during the coronavirus crisis, April 22, 2020. (TOLGA AKMEN / AFP)

UK

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is recovering well from grave COVID-19 complications and will be back at work soon, a minister said on Thursday, as the government said it would start mass study to tract the spread of the coronavirus in Britain.

"He is also right now, as he is fully recovering, doing what we are asking people across the country to do, he is taking the advice of the medical experts and the doctors and doing as the doctors outlined him to do," Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis told Sky.

The UK government is to survey 20,000 households in a bid to track the spread of the coronavirus in Britain, five weeks after it abandoned a strategy of community testing for the disease.

The greatest risk to Britain is a second spike in coronavirus cases that necessitates another period of lockdown, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said

The data will help scientists understand the rate of infection and how many people may have developed antibodies, the government said in an e-mailed statement. Initial findings will be available in early May.

British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Wednesday that the United Kingdom is "at the peak" of the COVID-19 outbreak while the rules of social distancing are "making a difference".

The remarks came as the Department of Health and Social Care announced 759 more deaths as of Tuesday afternoon, bringing the death toll to 18,100.

As of Wednesday morning, 133,495 people have tested positive for COVID-19, marking a daily increase of 4,451, said the department.

Hancock told lawmakers that social distancing measures in place will not be adjusted. 

The greatest risk to Britain is a second spike in cases that necessitates another period of lockdown, said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for Johnson, justifying why social distancing measures must not be relaxed prematurely.

ALSO READ: Boris Johnson's govt faces first political test of lockdown

Chief Medical Officer for England Chris Whitty said Britain should expect to see only a slow descent in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

A roll of hay is adorned with a cloth that is meant to resemble a mask over its "face," in Monticello, Geogia, the United States, April 22, 2020. (CURTIS COMPTON / ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION VIA AP)

US

More states in the US South and Midwest signaled readiness on Wednesday to reopen their economies in hopes the worst of the coronavirus pandemic had passed, but California’s governor held firm to sweeping stay-at-home orders and business closures.

President Donald Trump, at his daily briefing on the pandemic, largely projected optimism in the nation's battle against the virus. He said he was encouraged to see other states begin to open up their economies and ease restrictions.

READ MORE: Amid warnings, Trump says US states reopening safely

However, Trump said he strongly disagrees with Georgia's aggressive push to reopen its economy, saying it's "just too soon" to lift some restrictions.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican and Trump ally, is allowing businesses such as beauty salons, tattoo parlors and bowling alleys to reopen as soon as Friday.

Meanwhile at the outset of the briefing, Trump summoned the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, to clarify his remark that the second wave of coronavirus in the fall could be worse than the current situation.

"I think it's really important to emphasize what I didn't say: I didn't say that this was going to be worse," Redfield said. "I said it was going to be more difficult and potentially complicated because we're going to have flu and coronavirus circulating at the same time."

In another development, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the US state will launch a contact tracing program to find out potential COVID-19 patients and to prevent a future surge of infections.

Spain

Spain reported the most new coronavirus cases and fatalities in almost a week, a day after the government secured parliamentary approval to extend a state of emergency through May 9.

There were 4,635 new infections in the 24 hours through Thursday, taking the total to 213,024, according to Health Ministry data. The number of deaths rose by 440, compared to Wednesday’s increase of 435, to 22,157. Almost 90,000 have recovered from the disease in the world’s most extensive outbreak behind the U.S.

The Spanish Parliament on Wednesday agreed to extend the State of Alarm that has been in effect in the country since March 15 for two more weeks.

This is the third time the Spanish government of Pedro Sanchez has sought to extend the State of Alarm, which was due to expire at midnight on April 25.

Under this third extension, children aged under 14 will be allowed to leave their homes in the presence of an adult to take short walks outside. It also gives the health ministry greater powers to "modify, extend or limit measures" over activities which can be carried out in different parts of Spain.

Spain aims to begin winding down its coronavirus lockdown in the second half of May, Sanchez said.

Italy

Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 437 on Wednesday, against 534 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, while the daily tally of new infections increased to 3,370 from 2,729 on Tuesday.

The total death toll stands at 25,085, the agency said, the second highest in the world after that of the United States.

The number of confirmed cases was 187,327, the third highest global tally behind those of the United States and Spain.

People registered as currently carrying the illness fell to 107,699 from 107,709 on Tuesday, a third consecutive daily decline.

France

The number of people who have died from coronavirus infection in France increased by 544 to 21,340 on Wednesday, the fourth-highest casualty tally in the world, but trailing just a few hundred behind Spain, which has a death toll of 21,717.

Health Ministry director Jerome Salomon said 29,741 people who tested positive for the coronavirus were hospitalized, down by 365 in the last 24 hours, consolidating one-week slowdown.

Among other encouraging signs, the number of patients who need intensive care has fallen for the 14th consecutive day, to 5,218, down by 215.

The health ministry reported 1,827 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, taking the total to 119,151, an increase of 1.6 percent, slightly slower than the 2.3 percent seen on Tuesday and 1.8 percent on Monday.

It also reported a total of 62,222 cases in nursing homes, of which 25,513 were confirmed and 36,709 were possible cases.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivers a speech at the German Bundestag (lower house of parliament) in Berlin, Germany, on April 23, 2020. (TOBIAS SCHWARZ / AFP)

Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday urged Germans to show endurance and discipline to get through the coronavirus pandemic that is "still at the beginning".

Merkel is worried that Germans are slacking off their social distancing efforts after the federal and regional governments agreed to reopen shops this week.

Germany has the fifth highest COVID-19 caseload behind the United States, Spain, Italy and France, but has kept fatalities down thanks to early and extensive testing.

Germany's confirmed coronavirus cases increased by 2,352 to 148,046, data from the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases showed earlier. The reported death toll rose by 215 to 5,094, the tally showed.

"It is precisely because the figures give rise to hope that I feel obliged to say that this interim result is fragile. We are on thin ice, the thinnest ice even," Merkel told the Bundestag lower house of parliament.

Earlier Thursday, Germany's coalition parties agreed to further measures worth some 10 billion euros (US$10.81 billion) to shield workers and companies from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Germany has successfully slowed down the COVID19 pandemic through drastic restrictions. This has significant economic and social consequences," the parties of Merkel's ruling coalition said in a joint statement issued after more than seven hours of negotiations.

"Nevertheless, we can only loosen the restrictions in small steps, because the virus is still widespread in Germany and we must not jeopardise success by another exponential wave of infections," the parties said.

Russia

Russia recorded 4,774 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, a fall in the number of daily new cases for the third day running, bringing its nationwide tally to 62,773, the Russian coronavirus crisis response centre said on Thursday.

Forty-two people with the virus died in the last 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 555, it said.

Ukraine

Ukraine on Thursday reported a total of 7,170 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 187 deaths, the country's health ministry said.

In the past 24 hours, 578 people have tested positive for COVID-19, while 505 patients have recovered.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian government extended quarantine measures until May 11.

Finland

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin will work from home from Thursday as a precaution against possible exposure to the coronavirus, her office said.

The decision was made after Marin was told a close contact of someone who had been working at her official residence last week had tested positive on Wednesday.

Marin said Wednesday that Finland could announce in May the gradual easing of restrictions.

Marin also said that mobile phone-based epidemic surveillance is being considered, but it must be voluntary and respect data privacy.

As of Wednesday afternoon, 4,129 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Finland. The number of deaths has risen to 149, according to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

Hungary

Hungary will decide next week on the future of lockdown measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday.

Current lockdown rules will be in effect until May 3, and a new set of rules will be needed after that date to gradually allow the economy to go back to normal, Gergely Gulyas said.

The new set of restrictions after May 3 will ensure that those who are the most endangered by the virus are protected and economic activity can be re-started, he added.

Switzerland

The Swiss death toll from the coronavirus has reached 1,268, the country's public health agency said on Thursday, rising from 1,217 people on Wednesday.

The number of positive tests has increased to 28,496 from 28,268 on Wednesday, it said. The increase in new cases has eased in recent days as Switzerland prepares to loosen restrictions introduced to slow the spread of the disease.

The Swiss federal government on Wednesday said it will guarantee the supply of face masks as parts of the current lockdown measures are expected to be eased next week.

Swiss Federal Councilor and Defence Minister Viola Amherd said at a press conference that the Swiss armed forces were planning on buying up to over 100 million face masks, which will be sold to retailers at purchasing price.

Romania

The number of coronavirus infections in Romania rose by 386 new cases on the day to 10,096 confirmed cases, the government said on Thursday.

It said 2,478 persons recovered so far and 527 other died.

President Klaus Iohannis announced on Wednesday that Romania will lift the nationwide lockdown after May 15 when the state of emergency ends.

The president, however, stressed that many COVID-19 restrictions will remain in effect even after May 15. He specifically pointed out that everyone will be required to wear protective masks in enclosed public spaces and public transport.

The confirmed COVID-9 cases reached 9,710 in Romania on Wednesday, while the death toll exceeded 500, according to official data. 

READ MORE: Improving trends pave way for easing restrictions in Europe

North Macedonia

The government of North Macedonia has decided to make protective equipment wearing compulsory for people in all indoor public places from Thursday, Prime Minister Oliver Spasovski said Wednesday.

Spasovski said at an online press conference that the government decided to enhance precautionary measures and reduce movement restrictions across the country.

North Macedonia so far has a total of 1,259 coronavirus cases, with 272 recoveries and 56 fatalities. 

Greece

Greek authorities said Wednesday that seven new cases of COVID-19 have been reported across the country over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 2,408 with 121 deaths.

This is the first time the newly confirmed daily caseload in Greece has dropped below 10, after 48 consecutive days of 10-plus cases per day since the outbreak on Feb 26. It's also the first day that no death has been reported since March 14.

The Greek health ministry announced on Wednesday that 56,944 tests have been carried out in the country since the outbreak.

Albania

Albanian Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu on Wednesday unveiled the government's plan to ease the anti-coronavirus measures gradually, starting next week.

Via a video message posted on Facebook, Manastirliu declared that various businesses, such as the trade of clothes, shoes, furniture, electronic equipment, will be allowed to reopen. She added that households will be able to stay out of home for up to 2 hours and 30 minutes, compared with 90 minutes for the moment.

Intercity transport via taxi with only one passenger will also be permitted.

Albanian health authorities on Wednesday reported 25 new cases, pushing the tally to 634, with 356 recoveries and 27 fatalities.

Lithuania

The government of Lithuania on Wednesday extended the nationwide quarantine restrictions until May 11, with the easing measures such as reopening of all shops and shopping malls as of Thursday.

Minister of Health Aurelijus Veryga said at a press conference an "optimistic sign" is seen in the Baltic country, as a record number of COVID-19 tests has been carried out over the last day and the percentage of positive tests found was record low.

According to the Ministry of Health, Lithuania has a total of 1,370 confirmed cases of COVID-19 by Wednesday morning. A total of 38 people have died from the disease and 357 have recovered.

UN

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the whole United Nations system across the world has climbed to 249, including three fatalities, a UN spokesman said Wednesday.

"As of Tuesday, April 21, (there were) 249 confirmed cases among the UN worldwide, including 30 at the Secretariat and 53 in total within the United States," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said at a daily virtual press briefing.

As of the evening of April 12, there were 189 confirmed cases among UN personnel worldwide, including three deaths, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for Guterres, said at a virtual briefing on April 13.

Brazil

Brazil's Sao Paulo state plans to gradually reopen its economy in a "safe" way starting on May 11 by relaxing some social distancing measures put in place to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, Governor Joao Doria said on Wednesday.

In the meantime, Doria said at a news conference that statewide quarantine rules will remain in place in Sao Paulo, which is the country's financial hub, most populated state and epicenter of Brazil's coronavirus outbreak.

The state's death toll from COVID-19 is expected to reach 3,000 by May 3, according to state Health Secretary José Henrique Germann.

Brazil's Health Ministry said on Wednesday the country had 45,747 COVID-19 cases and 2,906 deaths.

READ MORE: Bolsonaro attacks coronavirus lockdowns as supporters take to streets

A city worker wearing protective gear invites a resident to wash his hands at a portable outdoor sink, in Mexico City, April 22, 2020. (EDUARDO VERDUGO / AP)

Mexico

Mexico reported on Wednesday it now has over 10,000 cases of the coronavirus, the fifth-highest tally in Latin America, as containment measures and rock-bottom crude prices wreak economic havoc on the oil-producing country.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Wednesday unveiled his government's plan to rework this year's budget so that more money is available for social programs to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic on the poor and working class.

The plan raises spending on welfare programs by more than 622 billion pesos (US$25.3 billion), the president said.

Panama

Panama posted 171 new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, bringing the country's total to nearly 5,000 infected persons, the health ministry said.

Officials also confirmed three more deaths stemming from the 4,992 confirmed cases, raising Panama's death toll from the highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the virus to 144.

South Africa

South Africa on Wednesday reported 7 more deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing its death toll to 65.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country stood at 3,635, up by 170 from Tuesday's figure, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in his latest update on the pandemic.

Mkhize said mass community testing is operating nationwide, with 133,774 tests conducted to date and 6,868 done in the last 24 hours.

Tunisia

The Tunisian Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday eight new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the country's tally to 909.

A total of 190 patients have recovered in Tunisia while 38 deaths were reported in 13 provinces, according to the ministry statement.

According to official figures, a total of 18,861 lab tests have been carried out since March 2, when the first COVID-19 case was reported in Tunisia. 

Libya

The Libyan National Center for Disease Control on Thursday announced one new COVID-19 case, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 60.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases include 15 recoveries and one death.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health of the UN-backed government said that two doctors, a nurse and an administrative assistant of a hospital in the Libyan city of Sirte have been kidnapped by an armed group.

The ministry condemed the act, and called on the elders and tribal leaders of Sirte to make efforts to immediately release the kidnapped medical workers.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.

Egypt

Egypt will keep a night-time curfew for the holy Muslim month of Ramadan to combat the coronavirus spread but make it one hour shorter, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Thursday.

The curfew will start at 9 p.m. instead of the previous 8 p.m. and run until 6 a.m., he told a televised news conference. Ramadan, when Muslims fast until sunset, starts on Friday.

Fast-breaking is around 6:30 p.m., allowing families to gather at home. Communal activities and mass prayers have been banned this Ramadan.

Egypt's parliament approved on Wednesday amendments to the country's emergency laws that give expanded powers to the presidency and the military prosecution as authorities try to counter the new coronavirus outbreak.

The amendments allow the state to take and enforce a series of measures, including suspending schools, banning public or private gatherings, quarantining returning travellers, prohibiting the export of certain goods and placing restrictions on the trade or transfer of commodities, according to a parliamentary report on the amendments.

The government has confirmed 3,659 cases of the coronavirus including 276 deaths.

Morocco

The Moroccan Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday 237 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 3,446.

The ministry said 149 deaths from COVID-19 had been reported while 417 patients have recovered in total.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone's President Julius Bio became the second African leader to go into quarantine on Monday after one of his bodyguards tested positive for the coronavirus.

Bio is currently under 14 days of self-isolation and will be working from home, the president's spokesperson said.

Separately, Foday Mansaray, Sierra Leone Ambassador and representative to the International Human Rights Commission died in the United States on Monday due to the coronavirus.

Algeria

A total of 99 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, Djamel Fourar, head of the Detection and Follow-up Commission, said on Wednesday.

Fourar said that the total infections from COVID-19 increased to 2,910, while the total death toll surged to 402 nationwide. 

A total of 52 patients have recovered in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall recoveries to 1,204, he said.

Tanzania

Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Wednesday ruled out a lockdown on businesses in the capital Dar es Salaam amid the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the move was aimed at saving people from difficulties and saving the country from an economic meltdown.

Magufuli urged the heads of defense and security organs to take punitive actions against people, including politicians, who were spreading false information on COVID-19.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Tanzania climbed from 254 to 284, after 30 new cases were announced on Wednesday.

Mali

Mali's health services on Wednesday reported 35 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 293.

The Malian Ministry of Health and Social Affairs also reported 3 more deaths.

So far, the West African country has reported 293 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 17 deaths and 73 recoveries.

Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwean government on Wednesday announced a price moratorium on various basic commodities as part of measures to protect the public from unfair price increases.

The announcement comes after recent steep increases in prices of basic foodstuffs following a huge jump in exchange rates on the black market.

Zimbabwe is currently experiencing hyperinflation, which has seen annual inflation soaring to over 500 percent in February, according to the national statistics agency, Zimstats.

The country, which has so far recorded 29 COVID-19 cases and four deaths, is currently on a five-week nationwide lockdown aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Malawi

Malawi recorded one more COVID-19 death as the country's health authorities announced six new cases that were confirmed between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Among the new cases, five were reported in the capital Lilongwe.

Malawi has reported 23 confirmed cases, three deaths and three recoveries.

Nigeria

Nigeria's health authorities on Wednesday night reported 91 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 873 in the country.

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) also reported three new deaths, pushing the death toll to 28. The pandemic has spread to the Federal Capital Territory and 24 states.

Nigeria's northern governors have agreed to close disputed Islamic schools, which house millions of men and boys across the region, due to concerns over the coronavirus, the group said in a statement.

According to reports by local media, a meeting of all the 36 state governors in Abuja on Wednesday recommended a two-week national interstate lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country.