Global coronavirus infections were approaching the 650,000 mark as the United States led the world with confirmed cases - with cities such as Detroit, Chicago and New Orleans emerging as hotspots - and Russia prepared to fully close its borders. The world death toll stood at more than 30,000 as new cases also stacked up quickly in Europe on Saturday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The US leads the world in reported cases with more than 115,000 but five countries exceed its roughly 1,700 deaths: Italy, Spain, China, Iran and France.
Italy alone now has 10,023 deaths, the most of any country.
New York remained the worst-hit US city and state governor Andrew Cuomo said defeating the virus will take "weeks and weeks and weeks".
The UN donated 250,000 face masks to the city and Cuomo delayed the state's presidential primary from April 28 to June 23.
The virus is straining health systems in Italy, Spain and France.
Lockdowns of varying degrees have been introduced across Europe, nearly emptying streets in normally bustling cities.
Germany has fewer deaths than some neighbouring countries but still closed non-essential shops and banned public gatherings of more than two people until April 20.
But it still had its share of grim news, with 12 residents of a nursing home in the northern town of Wolfsburg dying since Monday after being infected, news agency DPA reported.
Spain, where stay-at-home restrictions have been in place for nearly two weeks, reported 832 more deaths on Saturday, its highest daily count yet, bringing its total to 5690.
Another 8000 confirmed infections pushed that count above 72,000.
But Spain's director of emergencies, Fernando Simon, saw hope in that the rate of infection is slowing and figures "indicate that the outbreak is stabilising and may be reaching its peak in some areas".
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for a more vigorous response from the European Union.
Spain, Italy, France and six other EU members have asked the union to share the burden of European debt, dubbed "coronabonds" in the media, to help fight the virus.
But the idea has met resistance from other members, led by Germany and the Netherlands.
"It is the most difficult moment for the EU since its foundation and it has to be ready to rise to the challenge," Sanchez said. "
As the epicentre has shifted westward, the situation has calmed in China, where some restrictions have been lifted.
Some subway service was restored in Wuhan, where the virus first emerged in December, after the city had its virus risk evaluation reduced from high to medium.
Five districts of the city of 11 million people had other travel restrictions loosened after their risk factor was reduced to low.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause more severe illness including pneumonia and lead to death.
More than 135,000 people have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins.
Countries are still trying to bring home citizens stranded abroad. On Saturday, 174 foreign tourists and four Nepali citizens in the foothills of Mount Everest were flown out days after being stranded at the only airstrip serving the world's highest mountain.
Indian authorities sent buses to the outskirts of New Delhi to meet an exodus of migrant workers desperately trying to reach their home villages amid the world's largest lockdown, ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday that effectively put millions out of work.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has ordered his country's borders fully closed as of Monday. International passenger flights were halted on Friday. The order exempts diplomats as well as residents of the Kaliningrad region who must cross through another country to enter the rest of Russia.
Australian Associated Press
