World Health Organization chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Monday the "worst is yet ahead of us" in the coronavirus outbreak.

"Let’s prevent this tragedy. It’s a virus that many people still don’t understand," he said.

The warning comes as some countries in Europe are set to ease lockdown measures this week, while others, such as the UK, continue in lockdown, with no plan made public for the easing of restrictions.

Europe’s worst-affected countries, France, Spain and Italy, which have all seen more than 20,000 people die as a result of COVID-19, are registering falling numbers of sick and dead after weeks of rising numbers.

Italy for the first time on Monday recorded fewer current coronavirus cases: 108,237 which is twenty fewer than the day before.

France had fewer hospitalisations but saw their death toll rise to above 20,000 as the director general of health warned that the epidemic was "very deadly" despite some hopeful progress.

The Netherlands recorded just 75 new cases of the virus after having more than 600 in a day earlier this month.

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