Italy virus toll hits one-day record as Wuhan reports 'hope'

Italy reported a dramatic surge in coronavirus deaths on Friday as pandemic spread furr across planet, but Wuhan in China reported new cases, sparking a glimmer of hope.

Worldwide fatalities from pandemic swept past 10,000, with number of infected people topping 250,000, according to an AFP tally.

Italy, already worst-affected country in world, added ar 627 fatalities, taking its reported total past 4,000 despite government efforts to stem pandemic's spread.

nation of 60 million w accounts for 36.6 percent of world's coronavirus deaths.

Governments and central banks continued to throw unprecedented sums of money into ecomic battle, hoping against hope that a deep global recession could somehow be dodged.

In a rare incident of encouraging news Wuhan, Chinese city where new coronavirus first emerged in December, reported new cases in 24 hours.

"Wuhan provides hope for rest of world that even most severe situation can be turned around", World Health Organization chief Tedros Adham Ghebreyesus told a virtual news conference.

But hours earlier California, among worst hit state in United States, told its 40 million residents to stay at home, most drastic move yet in US.

California measures will, however, t be enforced by police unlike in France, Italy, Spain and or European countries where people face fines if y break rules.

Britain, meanwhile, ditched its more relaxed attitude on Friday, telling cafes, pubs, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, atres and leisure centres to close, in line with its neighbours in EU.

Germany's biggest state Bavaria on Friday became first region in country to order a lockdown, imposing "fundamental restrictions" on going out for two weeks.

strict measures follow template set by China, as a lockdown imposed in Hubei province where virus first emerged appeared to have paid off.

Italy, which has seen more than 1,500 fatalities in past three days alone, has w recorded five highest one-day tolls officially registered around world and a total of 4,032.

China's death count was steady at 3,248, according to AFP tally of official data.

Europe w accounts for more than half of fatalities linked to COVID-19 disease around world.

However, accurate figures are difficult to come by as many of those who die are suffering from or illnesses and infection rates are uncertain because of a lack of testing in many countries.

pandemic has sparked fears of a global recession, battering world's stock markets and prompting governments to push huge spending plans to limit dam.

central banks of United States, Japan Britain, Canada and Switzerland joined forces on Friday in anuncing a new effort to keep dollars pumping through world ecomy.

READ | Italy Reports 475 New Virus Deaths, Highest One-day Toll Of Any Nation

US, meanwhile, is showing signs that it is ramping up efforts on all fronts, fast-tracking antimalarial drugs for use against virus, halting all routine visa services at embassies and promising a $1-trillion emergency relief pack.

US pack -- coupled with a European Central Bank plan to buy 750 billion euros in bonds -- saw stock markets across Asia and Europe rebound in Friday trading, but US exchanges were lower.

US President Donald Trump, who has come under fire for his response to crisis, said on Thursday that US officials would make antimalarials chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine available "almost immediately".

Experts are divided over wher drugs are suitable though, having undergone only briefest of clinical trials.

Trump also sparked an international row after he accused Chinese of being secretive over initial spread and severity of virus, saying world was w "paying a big price".

Across Europe, governments continued to rigorously enforce lockdown measures as continent's most celebrated boulevards and squares remained silent and empty even as warmer spring wear arrived.

France anunced more than 4,000 people were fined on first day of its confinement and ministers branded those breaking rules as "idiots".

France and Italy have both said y are likely extend confinement beyond initial periods, and British schools will close indefinitely on Friday.

Techlogy companies have begun to hint at strain being put on ir systems.

Both Netflix and YouTube, which say y have experienced a surge in demand since lockdowns began, have promised to reduce default im quality of streaming video in Europe to ease pressure on internet.

However, restrictions are bringing some communities closer toger.

In sparsely populated rural Spain -- a country that ranks fourth in world for coronavirus infections -- neighbours are pulling toger to help old and vulnerable.

Sergio Caminero, 30, who lives in Lovingos, a tiny hamlet rth of Madrid, went to pick up some shopping for an elderly neighbour.

"She's older and is quite frightened and tense," he told AFP.

shadow of virus is lengning across Africa and Middle East too.

Gabon confirmed sub-Saharan Africa's second kwn death on Friday, with total of reported cases across Africa standing at more than 900 and rising fast after lagging or continents.

In Iran, both supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani promised country would overcome outbreak -- but still refused to join rest of world in imposing heavy restrictions.

global sporting calendar, shredded by spread of pandemic, still has one major event coming up that has t yet been called off -- Olympic Games, set to take place in Japan in summer.

READ | Italy Sees New Records For Virus Infections, Deaths

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