British comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor, best known as part of the comedy trio The Goodies, has died at the age of 79 after contracting coronavirus.

Meanwhile Chinese citizens have been urged to continue wearing face masks, with a senior health adviser warning coronavirus, still poses a serious threat in the country.

The US has now overtaken Italy for the most COVID-19-related deaths in the world. With roughly 2,000 deaths a day for the past four days, the US total toll has passed 20,000.

This story was updated regularly throughout Sunday. You can also stay informed with the latest episode of the Coronacast podcast.

Sunday's key stories:

Comedian Tim Brooke-Taylor dies

British comedian and actor Tim Brooke-Taylor has died after contracting coronavirus, the BBC is reporting. He was 79.

Brooke-Taylor was best known as a member of the comedy trio The Goodies.

Fellow Goodies star Graeme Garden told the BBC he was "terribly saddened" by the loss of Brooke-Taylor, who he described as "a dear colleague and close friend of over 50 years".

"He was a funny, sociable, generous man who was a delight to work with," Garden said.

Announcing the death, his agent said he was "an exceptional client" who had "many fans whom he always treated cheerfully, even after long and exhausting rehearsals and recordings".

Comedians David Walliams and Stephen Fry were among some of the British entertainers remembering Brooke-Taylor on Twitter.

"He was so kind and generous. It is so sad he is gone," Walliams said.

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Boris Johnson leaves hospital after illness

Mr Johnson was admitted to a London hospital last Sunday. ( Reuters: Simon Dawson )

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been discharged from hospital, where he had been battling COVID-19.

In a statement, he said he would continue his recovery at the Prime Minister's country residence Chequers.

He added that he would not be returning to work immediately.

He wanted to thank all the staff at Saint Thomas' Hospital, where he was being treated, for the "brilliant" care he received.

Mr Johnson was admitted to hospital last Sunday, and moved into intensive care the next day before moving back to the general ward three days ago.

US COVID-19 deaths highest in the world

The number of coronavirus cases detected in the United States has risen past half a million. ( AP: John Minchillo )

The US has seen its highest death tolls to date in the coronavirus epidemic, with roughly 2,000 deaths a day reported for the past four days.

The number of cases in the US rose past half a million over the Easter weekend, as President Donald Trump said the decision on when it was safe to reopen the country would be the biggest he had ever had to make.

Public health experts have warned the US death toll could spike to 200,000 in the coming months if unprecedented stay-at-home orders are lifted after 30 days.

"I'm going to have to make a decision, and I … hope to God that it's the right decision," he told reporters on Friday.

"It's the biggest decision I've ever had to make."

Mr Trump said the facts would determine the next move as the current federal guidelines run to April 30.

The President would then have to decide whether to extend them or start encouraging people to go back to work and a more normal way of life.

Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced public schools would remain closed for the rest of the school year as the city continued to battle the outbreak.

The stay-at-home orders imposed in recent weeks across 42 of the 50 states have taken a huge toll on American commerce, with some economists forecasting job losses of up to 20 million by the end of the month.

According to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University, 1.77 million people globally have been infected.

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Wet markets in Wuhan selling food again

Wet markets, like this one in Hong Kong, are common across Asia. ( Supplied: Wikimedia Commons )

Fish and vegetable merchants are reopening stalls at wet markets in China's central city of Wuhan as the city lifts a months-long lockdown.

But their future looks uncertain, with few customers shopping as the virus stigma persists.

Coronavirus is believed to have originated late last year among wild animals on sale in a seafood market in Wuhan, which has been closed and boarded up since January.

That has prompted heavy scrutiny for wet markets, which are a key facet of China's daily life, even though only a few sell wildlife.

Stall owners in Wuhan said they were not optimistic about their future, with their businesses badly hurt by strict lockdown measures in China, which included a temporary ban on trade and consumption of wildlife in January.

Wuhan will spend 200 million yuan ($44.8 million) to upgrade its 425 farmers' markets in a campaign to improve hygiene, city officials said.

Meanwhile, China intends to increase scrutiny of inbound foreigners and tighten border controls in the wake of 99 new cases of COVID-19 cases being reported.

All but two of the infected people are involved travellers from aboard.

In the north-eastern province of Heilongjiang, which on April 11 reported 21 new cases which had come from Russia, the local government said its border with Russia would remain closed.

China's senior medical adviser Zhong Nanshan warned residents the epidemic could return.

"The epidemic is still spreading rapidly overseas, so China's coastal, major cities with close international contact are highly vulnerable, and could see the epidemic come back again," he told the People's Daily newspaper.

He urged caution as the world's virus epicentre shifted from Europe to the United States.

"It's not yet time to take off masks," he said.

Restrictions are being slowly lifted in China but residents are being warned the threat of COVID-19 could return. ( Reuters: Aly Song )

UK to spend 200 million pounds to fight second wave of infections

Britain says it is pledging 200 million pounds to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and charities to help slow the spread of the coronavirus in vulnerable countries.

UK Aid Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said assisting the poorest nations would help prevent the virus returning to Britain.

Britain has reported almost 10,000 deaths from coronavirus so far, the fifth-highest national number globally.

"Coronavirus does not respect country borders so our ability to protect the British public will only be effective if we strengthen the healthcare systems of vulnerable developing countries too," Ms Trevelyan said.

The British Government said 130 million pounds would go to United Nations' agencies, with 65 million pounds for the WHO.

Another 50 million pounds will go to the Red Cross to help war-torn and hard-to-reach areas, and 20 million pounds will go to other organisations and charities.

The cash will help areas with weak health systems such as war-ravaged Yemen, which reported its first case on Friday, and Bangladesh, which is hosting 850,000 Rohingya refugees in crowded camps.

Crime drops around the world as lockdowns keep people inside

In Peru, crime rates have fallen by 84 per cent. ( AP: Rodrigo Abd )

With the world's population largely remaining indoors under measures imposed to control the spread of coronavirus, crime rates have decreased, in some places to levels unseen in decades.

Even among regions that have the highest levels of violence outside war zones, fewer people are being killed and fewer robberies are taking place.

However, many law-enforcement officials are worried about a surge of unreported domestic violence, and what might happen when restrictions lift — or go on too long.

Chicago — one of America's most violent cities, drug arrests have plummeted 42 per cent in the weeks since the city shut down

— one of America's most violent cities, drug arrests have plummeted 42 per cent in the weeks since the city shut down New York — murder, rape, robbery, burglary, assault, grand larceny and car theft have decreased by 12 per cent from February to March

— murder, rape, robbery, burglary, assault, grand larceny and car theft have decreased by 12 per cent from February to March Los Angeles — 2020 crimes statistics were consistent with last year's figures until mid- March, when they dropped by 30 per cent

— 2020 crimes statistics were consistent with last year's figures until mid- March, when they dropped by 30 per cent El Salvador — there has been an average of two killings a day last month, down from a peak of 600 a day a few years ago

— there has been an average of two killings a day last month, down from a peak of 600 a day a few years ago Peru — crime levels fell 84 per cent last month

— crime levels fell 84 per cent last month South Africa — reported rapes were down from 700 to 101 over the same period last year, while serious assault cases have plummeted from 2,673 to 456, and murders have fallen from 326 to 94

North Korea says it has no cases of COVID-19

North Korea's ruling party says it "has been maintaining a very stable anti-epidemic situation", state media reports.

The country claims to be completely free of coronavirus due to its "strict, top-class, emergency, anti-epidemic measures … consistency and compulsoriness in the nationwide protective measures".

But experts remain sceptical, given the high number of cases in neighbouring China and South Korea.

Despite the apparent lack of infections, the ruling party wants stricter and more thorough measures imposed to ensure the safety of its citizens.

North Korea was among the first countries to seal its borders in February.

It quarantined all foreign diplomats in Pyongyang for one month and controlled the movement of its population.

Stranded Aussies return from India

About 440 Australians that were stranded in India during a nationwide lockdown have landed in Melbourne on a privately organised charter flight.

The flight from Delhi was organised by expats and aviation experts after more than 1,300 Australians called on the Australian Government to help them.

Australians queue outside Delhi airport. ( ABC News: Brad Young )

The High Commission helped organise the flight, but did not officially endorse it.

More private charter flights are expected from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

Local media reported Prime Minister Narendra Modi told state leaders the three-week lockdown would be extended until the end of the month, although no official announcement had been made.

India has more than 7,500 confirmed cases.

Antarctic cruise ship passengers reach Melbourne

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 58 seconds 58 s The Greg Mortimer cruise ship docked in Uruguay before passengers caught a chartered flight to Melbourne.

More than 100 people from the coronavirus-stricken Greg Mortimer cruise ship have touched down in Melbourne today.

This ship had about 217 people on board. Of those, half are Australians and 128 have coronavirus.

The ship, moored near Montevideo, in Uruguay, since March 21, was supposed to re-trace explorer Ernest Shackleton's famous Antarctic expeditions, but its journey was cut short.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said people from the Greg Mortimer would not be allowed out into the community like the passengers of the Ruby Princess were.

"We brought the hotel quarantine policy in and this just proves why that's such an important thing to do," Mr Andrews said.

Tasmania to close two hospitals to curb outbreak

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Burnie's North West Regional Hospital and North West Private Hospital will close due to the coronavirus outbreak, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein has announced.

All staff and members of their households, involving more than 1,000 people, will go into quarantine.

Of the 133 cases in Tasmania, 61 are linked to the north-west coast and 35 are healthcare workers at the hospitals.

The hospitals will be closed for a deep clean.

Mr Gutwein announced further restrictions on retailers in the north-west region from midnight tonight.

"I am sorry we need to do this, but at the end of the day we need to get on top of this, we need to ensure that we can crush this virus at its source," Mr Gutwein said.

"The aim of this is to get to the end of a two-week period where we can bring those health services back online and importantly we can lift the restrictions as well."





UK's death toll nears 10,000 as PM makes 'very good progress'

Britain's COVID-19 death toll neared 10,000 on Saturday after health officials reported another 917 hospital deaths.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson continued to make "very good progress" in his recovery from the virus.

Britain has reported 9,875 cases of the coronavirus pandemic — the fifth highest national number globally.

Saturday's increase was the second day running that the number had increased by more than 900.

Almost 80,000 people in Britain have tested positive for the virus, among them Mr Johnson, who is in the early stages of recovery on a hospital ward after spending three nights in intensive care.

"The Prime Minister continues to make very good progress," a Downing Street spokesman said.

On Friday, his office said Mr Johnson was back on his feet while British newspapers reported he was watching films and reading letters sent to him by his pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds, who herself has suffered COVID-19 symptoms.

Britain imposed a lockdown three weeks ago in a bid to curb the spread of the virus and ministers have been pleading with Britons to observe the ban on social gatherings over the Easter weekend when much of the country had been bathed in sunny, spring weather.

Queen Elizabeth II says coronavirus will not overcome UK

Britain's Queen Elizabeth delivered her second rallying message to the nation in a week. ( Reuters: Hannah McKay )

Queen Elizabeth II said on Saturday that coronavirus "would not overcome us" as she delivered her second rallying message to the nation in a week.

The 93-year-old monarch, who is the symbolic head of the Church of England, also stated that "Easter isn't cancelled" in her first address to mark the Christian holy day.

"This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart we keep others safe. But Easter isn't cancelled; indeed, we need Easter as much as ever," she said.

Last Sunday, she gave only the fifth televised address of her 68-year reign to say that if Britons stayed resolute in the face of a lockdown and self-isolation, they would beat the COVID-19 pandemic.

On that occasion, she made reference to her experience of World War II, but this time the monarch, who takes her religious faith seriously, used the Easter message to reinforce that message.

"The discovery of the risen Christ on the first Easter Day gave his followers new hope and fresh purpose, and we can all take heart from this," she said in the audio recording on Twitter.

Spain's overnight death toll rises to 619

Spain has suffered the third-highest number of casualties from the virus after Italy and the United States. ( AP: Manu Fernandez )

Spain's overnight death toll from the coronavirus rose to 619 on Sunday from a nearly three-week low of 510 on Saturday, the country's health ministry has said.

The higher toll broke a three-day streak of daily declines.

The country's total death toll from the virus climbed to 16,972 from 16,353, while overall cases rose to 166,019 from 161,852.

Lower death tolls had been seen as an encouraging sign for the country, which has suffered the third-highest number of casualties from the virus after Italy and the US.

At the beginning of April, the overnight death tally rose as high as 950, overwhelming the national health service and forcing regional authorities to set up temporary mortuaries in an ice rink and disused public buildings.

But as the rate of new infections and deaths slows, the Government has begun to contemplate a gradual unwinding of lockdown measures, which have kept most people confined to their homes since mid-March.

From Monday, workers in sectors such as construction and manufacturing will be allowed to return to work, though the Government extended restrictions on movement across Spain's land borders with France and Portugal for another two weeks.

Spanish authorities will distribute 10 million face masks at major train and subway stations to help reduce a coronavirus spike as work restrictions ease.

Swedish PM admits virus measures 'not good enough'

Sweden's relaxed policies that relied on individual responsibility may not have been the best course of action, Sweden's Prime Minister says. ( AP: Fredrik Sandberg )

Sweden is something of an outlier in the Coronavirus pandemic, having taken a "flexible" approach to restricting movements within its borders, but its Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has since conceded that was not good enough.

Mr Löfven has faced criticism over Sweden's lack of preparedness for a crisis of this nature, including its lack of emergency drug stockpiles.

The blame for this, however, lies on the shoulders of a string of governments, rather than just his own, Mr Löfven said.

"All parties have a responsibility in that, because [civil defence] was something that was phased out gradually after the Cold War, so that's three decades we're talking about," Mr Löfven said.

"Since then, many governments have contributed to this."

Though some protections like social gathering limits of 50 people and a ban on visits to aged care facilities had been put in place when the severity and global impact of COVID-19 became apparent, the Government relied on citizens to choose to be responsible and allowed many businesses to continue operating.

The Government justified this unusually relaxed approach as an assurance for the future.

"We want measures that work in the long run, since this pandemic likely will continue for months," the Prime Minister's department said at the beginning of this month.

With just hours of notice, Turkey goes into lockdown

A two-day curfew was declared by the Turkish Government to slow the spread of coronavirus. ( AP Photo/Emrah Gurel )

Major cities in Turkey, including mega-city Istanbul, have been placed on a 48-hour lockdown as the Turkish Government tries to stem the spread of coronavirus.

The lockdown was announced on Friday before coming into effect at midnight that night.

All international flights have been halted, domestic travel restricted, schools, bars and cafes closed, and mass prayers suspended. But people have still been going to work to sustain economic activity.

The restrictions were imposed in 31 provinces across the country and scaled up existing curbs, under which people under the age of 20 and over 65 had been told to stay home.

"We urge all citizens who live in these 31 provinces to comply with this weekend's lockdown without panicking," the country's communications director Fahrettin Altun wrote on Twitter.

He called on people to maintain their social distance in the brief time before the lockdown went into effect. However, soon after news of the move emerged, many people left their homes to buy food and drink.

Turkey has reported more than 5,000 new coronavirus cases, pushing the total to above 50,000 since recording its first confirmed infection exactly a month earlier.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said there were 5,138 cases over the previous 24 hours, taking the country's total to 52,167.

The death toll rose to 1,101 with the addition of 95 fatalities.

Australia's infection and death toll

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia is 6,322 and 59 people have died from COVID-19 related illness.

Here is a state-by-state breakdown of the cases:

STATE TOTAL CASES TOTAL DEATHS RECOVERIES NSW 2,854 24 1,356 VIC 1,268 14 986 QLD 983 4 368 WA 514 6 216 SA 429 4 225 TAS 144 5 48 ACT 102 2 67 NT 28 0 2 TOTAL 6,322 59 3,268

These figures come from state and territory databases of confirmed COVID-19 cases. The latest update was at 8:30pm AEST on Sunday, April 12.