Paris (AFP)

New assessments, new measures, highlights: an update on the latest developments in the Covid-19 pandemic, which killed more than 200,000 people worldwide.

- Over 200,000 dead -

The pandemic has killed at least 204,696 people worldwide since its onset in December in China, according to a report compiled by AFP from official sources Sunday at 7:00 p.m. GMT.

Over 2.9 million cases have been diagnosed in 193 countries and territories.

The United States is the most affected country, with 54,841 deaths and nearly 964,937 confirmed infections. Italy (26,644) died, Spain (23,190), France (22,856) and the United Kingdom (20,732). British statistics, however, do not include retirement homes where several thousand elderly people have died, according to industry representatives.

As a proportion of the population, excluding micro-states, mortality is highest in Belgium (612 deaths per million inhabitants), ahead of Spain (496), Italy (441), France (350) and the United Kingdom (305). The United States (164) is far behind.

- Johnson back -

Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to his Downing Street home in London on Sunday evening after more than two weeks of recovery after being infected with the new coronavirus.

- Containments soften -

Israel reopened this Sunday all shops, except shopping centers.

Saudi Arabia has partially relaxed its total curfew - with the exception of Mecca in particular - and will step up screening tests.

In Spain, children, strictly confined since mid-March, can now go out for an hour a day. But they are not allowed to play with other children, to go out without an adult or to go further than one kilometer from their home.

- Egypt and South Africa seek IMF assistance -

Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli announced on Sunday that his government has entered into negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for one-year financial assistance to tackle the recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

South Africa intends to seek financial assistance of up to $ 4.2 billion (3.9 billion euros) from the IMF and the World Bank to help address the coronavirus pandemic, announced on Friday Minister of Finances.

- Seizures of masks -

China said it seized some 89 million non-compliant masks in an effort to allay fears about the quality of the medical equipment being exported.

In France, the police carried out a record seizure of 140,000 masks intended to be sold illegally, in a district of the Paris region.

Several dozen countries or territories around the world have made it mandatory to wear a mask in public space. After Lagos (Nigeria), Burkina Faso and Mexico City impose it from Monday.

- Tracing applications

Australia has launched a smartphone app called COVIDSafe to track contact with people who test positive for coronavirus but who are concerned about privacy.

The concerns are the same in France, where the commission responsible for ensuring respect for freedoms in the digital domain, the Cnil, asked for "certain additional guarantees" for the launch of the government tracking application StopCovid when the confinement will be lifted on May 11.

In Germany, the government has decided to support the application using technology developed by Google and Apple, abandoning a national solution criticized for its lack of protection of privacy.

- Haro on "uncivilized" behavior -

Scalded by the coronavirus pandemic, Beijing will ban from June 1 a series of behaviors deemed "uncivilized", in order to improve hygiene in public places. From now on will be considered as offenses in the Chinese capital the sneezing without covering the nose and the mouth, not to wear a mask in public in case of illness, not to "dress properly" in public or walking around shirtless.

- Containment companions -

Cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens ... Animal shelters are emptying in the United States thanks to the pandemic, the inhabitants confined to their homes adopting animals with all their strength to keep them company.

- Dolphins in Istanbul -

The withdrawal of humanity continues to make the joys of wildlife: in Istanbul, dolphins frolick in the Bosphorus, usually saturated with boats.

- Mink infected in the Netherlands -

Dutch authorities cordoned off two mink farms in the south of the Netherlands on Sunday after the discovery of animals tested positive for coronavirus, likely infected after contact with humans.

- Too much beer for the President of Peru -

The President of Peru, Martin Vizcarra, took offense on Sunday from the long queues formed by some of his fellow citizens to acquire beer in the midst of a coronavirus epidemic. The marketing of alcoholic beverages is virtually suspended in Peru due to the confinement due to the epidemic, with the closure of bars and drinking places.

© 2020 AFP