China has held a day of mourning to pay tribute to the "martyrs" who have died from coronavirus, as the worldwide death toll continues to rise.

In the United States, more than 280,000 infections have been reported and nearly 3,000 people have died in New York state, while health authorities in India warn lockdowns may be extended.

Worldwide there are more than 1.1 million confirmed cases of the virus and there have been 58,937 deaths.

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

Saturday's key stories:

Denmark prepares to ease lockdown restrictions

Denmark is expected to reveal plans to relax its coronavirus lockdown this weekend, with the number of confirmed cases stabilising.

It was one of the first European countries to lock down its population, and if it was to relax restrictions it would be the first country outside Asia to do so.

The reasoning behind the plan was that the risks of a deep recession may now be more dangerous for Danish society than a second outbreak.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said they were planning to ease coronavirus restrictions. ( Ritzau Scanpix via AP:Ida Guldbaek Arentsen )

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she hoped to be able to present a plan for the first phase of a reopening by the end of the week after consultation with the other political parties.

But many Danes questioned whether the Government's confidence was well-founded.

Denmark had reported 139 coronavirus-related deaths as of Friday, although the number of patients hospitalised fell this week.

The country has a total of 4,268 confirmed coronavirus cases.

Hundreds die in Spain on its least deadly day for a week

Spain has reported its lowest coronavirus daily death toll in a week, with 809 more fatalities over the last 24 hours.

Second only to the US in terms of total cases, 11,744 people have died in Spain due to coronavirus.

Spain's Health Ministry said on Saturday that its total number of infections had reached 124,736.

Spain has recorded another 809 deaths over the past 24 hours. ( AP: Emilio Morenatti )

That is a daily increase of 7,026 infections, which is slightly down from the previous 24-hour period.

Spain is completing its third week of a state of emergency, which the Government has used to apply stay-at-home rules and a shutdown of all non-essential industries.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to extend the current lockdown by another 14 days, until at least 26 April.





Australians advised not to wear masks

Australian health authorities says face masks are in limited supply and should be kept for medical staff. ( ABC RN: Nick Wiggins )

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says Australians should not wear masks while out in public, partly because of limited stocks in the country.

Australia has more than 5,550 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 30 people have died from the virus.

"In terms of mask use in the community, I would stress again at the moment we do not think it is a good idea, partly because of the constraints around supply," Professor Kelly said.

"Masks can be useful to stop the spread from a person with the disease to other people if the mask is used correctly … but at this point in time, our advice remains that if you are sick, stay at home," he said.

The recommendation not to wear masks came as US President Donald Trump encouraged Americans to do so.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 44 seconds 44 s Professor Paul Kelly says there is still no need for healthy Australians to wear face masks.

Coles and Woolworths to limit number of customers

Australia's largest supermarket chains are set to implement stricter social-distancing measures.

In the coming days and weeks the companies will limit the number of people who can enter their stores.

The number of customers allowed in any one store will depend on its size.

Woolworths managing director Claire Peters asked people to pre-plan their Easter shopping trips to help avoid the usual large crowds in supermarkets before the long weekend.

Coles is encouraging people to shop alone if possible.

China mourns thousands who died in coronavirus epidemic

All forms of entertainment were paused for a moment of national mourning. ( Reuters: Carlos Garcia Rawlins )

China has mourned the thousands of "martyrs" who have died in the coronavirus outbreak, flying the national flag at half mast throughout the country and suspending all forms of entertainment.

The day of mourning coincided with the start of the annual Qingming tomb-sweeping festival, when millions of Chinese families pay respects to their ancestors.

At 10:00am Beijing time the country observed three minutes of silence to mourn those who died, including frontline medical workers and doctors.

Cars, trains and ships sounded their horns and air raid sirens wailed.

More than 3,300 people in mainland China have died in the epidemic, which first surfaced in the central province of Hubei late last year, according to statistics published by the National Health Commission.

In Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and the epicentre of the outbreak, all traffic lights in urban areas turned red and all road traffic ceased for three minutes.

Some 2,567 people have died in the city of 11 million people, accounting for more than 75 per cent of the country's coronavirus fatalities.

Authorities in the city banned all tomb-sweeping activities in cemeteries until at least April 30, curtailing one of the most important dates in the traditional Chinese lunar new year calendar on which millions of families travel to tend to their ancestral graves, offer flowers and burn incense.

The country reported a further 18 cases among people arriving from overseas, along with four new deaths, all in Wuhan.

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Union calls for protective equipment for Spain's healthcare workers

Spain's number of cases is now almost at 120,000, second only to the US. ( AP: Felipe Dana )

Spain's death toll from the coronavirus rose to 11,744 after another 809 deaths, the country's health ministry said.

The total number of registered infections rose to 124,736.

The rising tally comes as Spain's healthcare workers released footage of each other cutting up plastic garbage bags to use as protective clothing.

More than 15,000 of them are sick or self-isolating and unable to help patients, making up around 14.7 per cent of the country's confirmed cases, according to a health ministry spokeswoman.

Unions representing medical staff have filed lawsuits in at least 10 of Spain's 17 regions asking judges to compel the authorities to provide equipment within 24 hours in line with health and safety law.

In Catalonia, the top regional court on Tuesday rejected the 24-hour deadline but said authorities must provide protection measures whenever equipment arrives.

The health ministry said it had always acted on scientific evidence, following experts' recommendations, and taking steps based on a thorough assessment of the situation at any given time.

'More and more' young people in ICU or dying

WHO warns young people are dying from COVID-19. ( Ryu Young-seok/Yonhap via AP )

Younger people are experiencing severe illness and dying from COVID-19, despite perceptions the disease is only a threat to the elderly, the World Health Organisation has warned.

In a broadcast from Geneva, WHO experts pointed to cases in China, South Korea, Italy and other parts of Europe where people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s had died from the virus.

"We are seeing more and more younger individuals who are experiencing severe disease," epidemiologist and WHO technical lead of COVID-19 response Maria van Kerkhove said.

"Overall, most of the people who are experiencing severe disease and ending up in ICU and needing advanced care are older people and are people with underlying conditions.

"But what we are seeing in some countries is that there are some people in their 30s, who are in their 40s, who are in their 50s, who are in ICU and who have died."



UK in lockdown until end of May, adviser warns

People across Britain are being told to stay at home in a bid to reduce coronavirus infection rates. ( AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth )

Britain will not be able to relax its stringent lockdown rules until the end of May and not before the spread of coronavirus slows and intense testing is introduced, a leading adviser to the Government has said.

Neil Ferguson, a leading professor of mathematical biology at Imperial College London, said work was underway to establish how rules in the UK could be relaxed over time.

"We want to move to a situation where at least by the end of May that we're able to substitute some less intensive measures, more based on technology and testing, for the complete lockdown we have now," he said.

The Government has put Britain into a widespread lockdown, closing pubs, restaurants and nearly all shops, while banning social gatherings and ordering people to stay at home unless it is absolutely essential to venture out.

Britain's death toll from the global pandemic had risen to 3,605.

Meanwhile, UK authorities are clamping down on bogus cures for coronavirus, for which there is currently no specific licensed treatment.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is investigating 14 fake or unlicensed products claimed to treat COVID-19.

And British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will remain in self-isolate until his high temperature falls, according to his spokesman.

Boris Johnson continues to have mild symptoms of coronavirus, including a temperature. ( Reuters: Frank Augstein )

Mr Johnson, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, said he was self-isolating longer than the recommended seven-day guidance.

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"He does continue to have mild symptoms, in particular a temperature," the spokesman said.

"The guidance is clear that if you still have a high temperature you should keep self-isolating until it returns to normal.

"The guidance is really, really explicit. It sets out that you should stay at home for seven days, but that you should stay at home for longer if a high temperature persists. The PM is following that advice to the letter."

France records more infections than China

The Trocadero Gardens near the Eiffel tower in Paris are usually busy but have been deserted during France's lockdown. ( Reuters: Pascal Rossignol )

France's number of COVID-19 infections has surged by almost 20,000 as it becomes the fifth country to record more cases than China.

The number of people who have died from the illness jumped by 61 per cent to more than 6,500 after data from nursing homes was added.

The total number of confirmed cases is now more than 82,000.

Elsewhere, Spain and Italy remain the two worst affected countries in Europe, each with more than 10,000 deaths and more than 100,000 infections.

In France, there have been more than 1,400 coronavirus deaths in care homes since the start of last month.

Police in Paris have stepped up spot checks across the city to prevent an Easter holiday exodus spreading the virus.

Trump wants people to wear masks but won't be putting one on

Mr Trump has prevented the US from exporting medical-grade masks. ( AP: Alex Brandon )

US President Donald Trump has encouraged Americans to wear face masks in public after the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommended people cover their faces when leaving home, especially around others.

Mr Trump said that it was "voluntary" and he will not be wearing a mask.

"I'm choosing not to do it," he told reporters at the most recent White House coronavirus briefing.

The latest guidance suggests people use makeshift coverings, such as T-shirts, scarves or bandanas to cover their noses and mouths.

Medical-grade masks, especially N95 masks, were to be reserved for those on the front lines of trying to contain the pandemic.

Mr Trump has also prevented the export of N95 masks and surgical gloves under the Defence Production Act.

He said the move was necessary to assure that the medical supplies were available for domestic use.

It comes a day after Mr Trump invoked the Defence Production Act to compel 3M to make as many N95 masks as the Federal Emergency Management Agency determines are needed.

The White House announced a rapid coronavirus test would be given to anyone coming into contact with Mr Trump or Vice-President Mike Pence.

US accused of 'Wild West' tactics to obtain protective gear

The US has been accused of using "Wild West methods" to obtain personal protective equipment to be used in the fight against COVID-19.

In France and Germany, senior officials said the US was paying far above the market price for masks from China, on occasion winning contracts through higher bids even after European buyers believed a deal was done. Brazil's Health Minister reported a similar incident.

Interior Minister for Berlin state Andreas Geisel said 200,000 face masks purchased by the German capital were suddenly diverted to the US en route from China, describing the diversion as "an act of modern piracy".

"Even in times of global crisis there should be no Wild West methods," Mr Geisel said in a statement.

German officials confirmed that their delivery was seized at Bangkok airport and diverted elsewhere, without naming the perpetrator.

The US has not responded to the accusation, but a Department of Homeland Security official said US companies and the Government had been paying above market price for much of the gear purchased overseas.

The official, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter, said the US would not stop buying "until we have way too much" and could still be searching out protective gear abroad through August.

"We've gotten our hands on every bit of it that we can," the official said.

New York sees highest increase in deaths

New York has suffered its deadliest single day from the novel coronavirus, with 562 additional deaths across the state for a total of 2,935 fatalities, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

New York state has seen its highest increase in deaths on Friday. ( Reuters: Brendan Mcdermid )

Almost 15,000 people were hospitalised.

Mr Cuomo warned that people were going to die in the near term due to a lack of ventilators and hospital beds.

He called for resources from across the United States to be deployed to New York to help it deal with the growing crisis in the state.

"New York is in crisis. Help New York. Then pick up … and then go to the next place as this rolls across the country," Mr Cuomo told a daily briefing on the public health crisis.

"I'm not going to let people die because we didn't redistribute ventilators," Mr Cuomo said.

The state has now passed 100,000 cases, after adding another 10,000 in one day.

The United States has recorded a total of 245,658 confirmed coronavirus infection cases across the country.

Cases in South Asia on the rise

As the number of confirmed new coronavirus cases in South Asia nears 6,000, authorities in some cities are looking at ways to tighten restrictions on movement.

India's lockdown could be extended if coronavirus cases continue to rise, health officials say. ( AP: Rajanish Kakade )

"If people don't obey the rules seriously and cases continue to rise, then there may be no option but to extend the lockdown," said Rajesh Tope, the Health Minister in the Indian state of Maharashtra, which includes the financial hub Mumbai.

"It could be extended in Mumbai and urban areas of Maharashtra by two weeks."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week said the country would pull out of the planned three-week lockdown in a phased manner.

India has 2,902 cases and 68 people have died.

The number of COVID-19 cases have more than doubled in South Asia in the last week.

Pakistan has so far reported 2,547 coronavirus infections, Afghanistan 281 cases and Sri Lanka 159 cases.

NT records first case acquired locally

The first locally acquired case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the Northern Territory, among four new infections of Darwin residents.

A woman in her 20s, who was a "close family contact" of a person diagnosed with coronavirus after returning from overseas, was in self-quarantine but is now at Royal Darwin Hospital with the other three new cases after becoming unwell.

It comes a day after Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the NT was the safest place in the country as it was the only jurisdiction in Australia without diagnosed community transmission of COVID-19.

"The biggest threat to the Territory is clear — it's not us, it's them," Mr Gunner said.

"The rest of the country is full of coronavirus hotspots."

The other new cases revealed were two men and a woman, who had all been in self-quarantine after coming home from abroad.

UK to launch world's biggest clinical trial of coronavirus treatments

Britain's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam, left, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock, right, announce a major clinical trial. ( Pippa Fowles/10 Downing Street via AP )

Britain has announced it will be launching the biggest clinical trial of possible treatments for coronavirus in the world.

Almost 1,000 patients from 132 hospitals had been recruited in 15 days and thousands more were expected to join in the coming weeks, the health department said.

The trial is testing medicines more commonly used to treat malaria and HIV and is designed so that when further medicines are identified, they can be added to the study within days.

England's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam said the next round of clinical trials should include new medicines, including those that might be in development for other diseases and might "have a role to play".

But he was cautious on the timeline for results of the trials.

"I know that there'll be a question about when are we going to get some results from these clinical trials, and my straight answer to you is: 'I don't know.' I think it's going to be a few months," he told a news conference.

Health Minister Matt Hancock said that until possible treatments for COVID-19 were shown to be effective, the only protection against it was to stay at home.

He said that so far, clinical trials had been focused on repurposing existing drugs and steroids for treatment of COVID-19.

"We've also set up an expert therapeutics taskforce to search for and shortlist other candidate medicines for trials," Mr Hancock said.

"We need more patients to volunteer to be part of these trials because the bigger the trials, the better the data and the faster we can roll out the treatments, if — and only if — it's proven to work."

Honduras scouts land for coronavirus mass graves

People in Tegucigalpa have not been following social-distancing rules or obeying curfews. ( Reuters: Jorge Cabrera )

Honduran authorities have ordered mayors to locate land suitable for mass graves as concerns over the possible death toll from coronavirus mount.

Honduras has so far registered 222 cases and 15 people have died.

But President Juan Orlando Hernandez, whose Government imposed a strict curfew in an attempt to stop the spread, has warned that "this is just the beginning" and things were about to become "much more difficult".

"Local governments must locate land suitable for mass graves in case mass burials are needed because the number of corpses exceeds capacity," said a statement issued by the National Risk Management System.

In several cities across the country, including the buzzing capital Tegucigalpa, people have not obeyed social distancing rules or the curfews imposed on March 15, locals have reported.

Queen to address country as deaths rise

Queen Elizabeth II will make an extremely rare address to the nation on Sunday (local time) as Britain grapples with the increasingly deadly coronavirus outbreak.

The Government has put Britain into a virtual lockdown, closing pubs, restaurants and nearly all shops, while banning social gatherings and ordering people to stay at home unless it was absolutely essential to venture out.

Queen Elizabeth II said the Royal Family would play its part in rising to the challenge of the coronavirus outbreak. ( Pool via Reuters: Richard Pohle )

Officials said the death toll in the United Kingdom among those who had tested positive for the virus had risen by 684 to 3,605, up 23 per cent on the previous day.

"Her Majesty the Queen has recorded a special broadcast to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in relation to the coronavirus outbreak," Buckingham Palace said in a statement, without giving any details about its content.

The address was recorded at Windsor Castle where the 93-year-old monarch is staying with her husband Prince Philip.

Last month, the Queen issued a written statement in which she said the Royal Family would play its part in rising to the challenge of the coronavirus outbreak.

Israel seals off ultra-orthodox Jewish community

Ultra-orthodox Jewish communities are resisting the Israeli Government's strict quarantine rules. ( AP: Mahmoud Illean )

Israeli police have erected metal barricades and roadblocks around the town of Bnei Brak to enforce a lockdown of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish town badly affected by coronavirus.

The Government declared Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, a "restricted zone" owing to its high rate of infections.

Medical experts estimate as much as 38 per cent of Bnei Brak's 200,000 residents are infected with coronavirus and that the town could soon account for as much as 30 per cent of cases in Israel's 8.7 million population.

"Bnei Brak is on lockdown, as of this morning, and police will prevent any movements in or out of the city," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

"People are only allowed in or out for medical reasons or medical support."

Bnei Brak is a town with a high population density — almost 100 times higher than the national average according to Israeli officials.

Many residents are poor and some have heeded rabbis who spurned anti-virus measures.

Israel has reported at least 34 deaths and close to 7,000 cases of coronavirus.

State-by-state numbers

Australia has had more than 5,500 confirmed cases of COVID, including 30 deaths (these numbers were last updated at 8:50pm AEDT on Saturday, April 4).

New South Wales: 2,493 (12 deaths)

2,493 (12 deaths) Victoria: 1,115 (eight deaths)

1,115 (eight deaths) Queensland: 900 (three deaths)

900 (three deaths) Western Australia: 436 (three deaths)

436 (three deaths) South Australia: 407

407 ACT: 93 (two deaths)

93 (two deaths) Tasmania: 82 (two deaths)

82 (two deaths) Northern Territory: 21