• Over seven million people globally are now infected with the novel coronavirus, according to a tally.
• Over three million have recovered.
• Britain, Ireland face new Covid-19 realities.

Global Covid-19 numbers

The novel coronavirus has killed at least 403 449 people since the outbreak emerged in China last December, according to a tally from official sources compiled by AFP at 1100 GMT on Monday.

At least 7 030 330 cases of coronavirus have been registered in 196 countries and territories. Of these, at least 3 063 500 are now considered recovered.

The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Organisation (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections.

Many countries are testing only symptomatic cases or the most serious ones.

The United States is the worst-hit country with 110 514 deaths from 1 942,363 cases. At least 506 367 people have been declared recovered.

After the US, the hardest-hit countries are Britain with 40 542 deaths from 286 194 cases, Brazil with 36 455 deaths from 691,758 infections, Italy with 33 899 deaths from 234 998 cases, and France with 29 155 deaths from 190 974 cases.

- AFP

Italy economy to shrink over 8% this year: official

Italy's economy is set to shrink 8.3% this year as the coronavirus crisis takes its toll, according to a forecast on Monday by the National Institute of Statistics.

The eurozone's third largest economy is expecting its worst recession since World War II after a nationwide lockdown was imposed for more than two months to try to bring the pandemic under control.

The institute (ISTAT) said it forecast a rebound of 4.6% next year.

It was very difficult to quantify the impact of the "unprecedented shock" to the economy, ISTAT said, and its forecasts were subject to "a large decree of uncertainty compared to the past".

Others fear the lockdown fallout will be even worse. The Bank of Italy has forecast a drop in GDP of between 9.2% and 13.1%, while the European Commission expects it to fall by 9.5%.

The American investement bank Goldman Sachs is even gloomier, saying Italy's economy will shrink 14%.

- AFP

Ireland comes back to life as lockdown eased

Ireland's shops and workplaces lurched back to life on Monday, as the nation pressed ahead with its plan to lift coronavirus lockdown restrictions ahead of schedule.

As the new week started, all shops were permitted to trade and travel limits were massively relaxed in a dramatic quickening of the government's reopening plans.

Employees able to maintain social distancing were also encouraged to return to their workplaces as Ireland took its largest step yet since lockdown was imposed on 28 March.

"This is a great day for our country," health minister Simon Harris told state broadcaster RTE.

"It's a day of hope, it's a day that we weren't guaranteed to get to."

Ireland began its tentative first step out of lockdown on 18 May, allowing small groups to meet outside, outdoor shops to reopen and activities such as golf to tee off.

On Friday, Varadkar signalled he intends to press ahead with the accelerated ending of lockdown by allowing hotels and pubs serving food to open on 29 June.

- AFP

Britain starts mandatory self-quarantine for arrivals

Britain introduced a two-week quarantine on Monday for most people arriving from abroad to try to limit the spread of the coronavirus, sparking condemnation from the ailing aviation sector, which claims it could cost tens of thousands of jobs.

British residents and overseas visitors will have to comply with the 14-day self-isolation rules or face a 1 000 ($1 250, 1 125-euro) fine or prosecution.

Critics question why Britain, which has been hardest hit by Covid-19 in Europe and is only gradually easing a lockdown, is inflicting more pain on hotels and airlines by reducing travel from countries with fewer virus cases.

British Airways and budget carriers EasyJet and Ryanair have launched joint legal proceedings against the government over what they called a "disproportionate and unfair" step.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary told Sky News television on Monday the plan was "useless" and unenforceable, and said it would "devastate thousands of jobs in British tourism".

The chief executive of London's Heathrow, John Holland-Kaye, told the City AM newspaper it could lead to the loss of potentially 25 000 jobs at his airport - a third of staff.

But Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the new rules made sense because "the proportion of infections that come from abroad increases" as Britain's own caseload drops.

"We've got to take an approach that starts with caution," he told Sky News.

To enter Britain by plane, train, road or sea, travellers must provide details of their journey and the address where they will self-isolate.

How the quarantine will be implemented differs between Britain's devolved nations, and the measures will be assessed every three weeks.

Exemptions are being made in several cases - including for lorry drivers, "essential" healthcare workers and people travelling from Ireland who have been there for at least two weeks.

- AFP

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