Corona ... Europe continues to ease isolation measures and America says that a laboratory in China may be the source of the epidemic

Europe continues to ease its isolation measures against the population to curb the spread of the "Covid-19" epidemic with new decisions that are supposed to be implemented as of Monday in about 15 countries.

The epidemic has killed more than 243,000 people and 637 people in the world since its appearance in December in China, 85% of them in Europe and the United States, according to a census prepared by Agence France-Presse according to official sources.

Italians, who have been under strict quarantine measures since March 9, are preparing to enter a series of measures to reduce isolation on Monday, after paying a heavy price for the epidemic that has killed about 29,000 people on the Italian peninsula, especially in the Lombardy region (north).

On Sunday, Rome counted 174 deaths in 24 hours, the lowest toll since the start of the closure measures. Domenico Arcuri, the cell official responsible for fighting the epidemic, appealed to his citizens to exercise caution as mitigation measures begin.

"Don't underestimate (...) Monday the second phase begins and we have to realize that it will be the beginning of a greater challenge," he said, recalling that the "relative freedom" that will be given to Italians will be reviewed if the epidemic spreads again.

The Italians are eagerly awaiting the new rules from reopening parks, while keeping spaces between their visitors, to the possibility of family visits and meetings in limited numbers and transfers limited to the neighborhood of housing, work and health, and sale without sitting in bars and restaurants.

These measures are fundamentally different among the 20 regions of the country, leading to some confusion. Calabria and Veneto eased restrictions before and allowed bars and restaurants to open, but without the balcony being opened.

On the other hand, some sectors of the economy resumed work (construction, cars, luxury products ...) on April 27 at the national level, while schools will remain closed until September.

Extending the emergency
In France, the government decided to extend the health emergency in effect from March 24 to July 24, considering that lifting it would be "premature."

However, measures to reduce isolation will begin on May 11 with great caution and at a pace that varies by region. 

Spain's 47 million people, subject to strict isolation, since mid-March, again, on Saturday, enjoyed exercising and hiking outdoors.

Many residents of Madrid, Barcelona and other cities went out to practice running, sometimes in groups.

In Germany, where the lifting of restrictions is at an advanced stage, with schools starting from Monday in some provinces.

In Austria, Vienna's commercial streets returned to life with some shops open, while isolation continues to be eased in Scandinavia, which continues to impose social restrictions and divergences.

In another indication of the normalization of the situation, German Interior and Sports Minister Horst Seehofer said in an interview with the German newspaper "Bild" on Sunday that he supported the resumption of the Football League (Bundesliga).

Seehofer's comments came three days before a meeting of the German authorities to decide the fate of the league.

In Eastern Europe, cafes and restaurants open Monday in Slovenia and Hungary, with the exception of the capital, Budapest. In Poland, work resumes in hotels, malls, offices and some museums as well.

Lifting the isolation
In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to unveil the removal of the isolation plan next week. "I wasn't in good shape and I knew there were contingency plans," he said in an interview with The Sun. "And the doctors were ready to do what should be done if things went wrong."

For his part, Secretary of State Michael Goff said, "I think we will have to live with a certain degree of restrictions until a vaccine is discovered."

In the United States (more than 66,000 deaths) and to revive the economy, more than 35 of the 50 US states have begun lifting, or are about to do, the strict isolation measures they have imposed, while demonstrations doubling to "reopen America" ​​across the country.

In Asia, over the weekend, Thailand is preparing to open restaurants, hairdressers and playgrounds.

In the same issue, Jordan announced on Sunday that it had lifted all restrictions imposed on economic activity due to the Corona virus, in the latest step to ease curfews in order to give a quick boost to the economy, which is suffering from financial pressures.

Two weeks ago, the kingdom started to ease restrictions by allowing commercial activities to resume its business, but obliged it to reduce the number of employees and the rules for the separation of individuals and health guidelines.

Minister of Industry and Trade Tariq Al-Hammouri said that companies and industries can now resume production.

The authorities allowed public transport to return to full capacity while adhering to safety guidelines, but universities and schools would remain closed and curfews would continue at night.

Jordan has reported 460 cases of coronavirus and nine deaths, but says it has managed to contain the virus.

Accusation of China
In the context of the accusations America has made toward China, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed on Sunday what he called "enormous evidence" that the source of the "Covid-19" epidemic is a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Pompeo told ABC that there was "tremendous evidence indicating that this was his source", meaning a laboratory in Wuhan, but declined to comment on the issue of whether he believed his publication was intentional.

A report in the American magazine Newsweek had previously raised the possibility of the emergence of the new corona virus as a result of unsafe laboratory practices in Wuhan.

He also mentioned that the US Defense Intelligence Agency has updated its assessment of the origin of the new Corona virus, and hinted that it could be accidentally released from an infectious disease laboratory.

According to the report, US intelligence reviewed its assessment last January, in which it considered that the outbreak may have occurred naturally, to now include the possibility of an accidental emergence of the Corona virus due to "unsafe laboratory practices" in the Chinese city of Wuhan.