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A woman wearing a face mask walks along a street in Durham, north east of England, on May 25. Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images Extremely vulnerable people in Great Britain who have been "shielding" — staying at home at all times and avoiding any face-to-face contact — will be allowed outdoors from Monday, the UK government said in a statement ahead of the official announcement on Sunday.  Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick will announce that 2.2 million clinically extremely vulnerable people will be able to go outside with members of their household, while continuing to follow social distancing guidelines, according to the government statement. The updated guidance says those who live alone can meet outside with one other person from another household. This is seen as a boon for the most clinically vulnerable, including many who have not had any face-to-face contact since they were first advised to shield 10 weeks ago. However, it comes at a time when members of the scientific a

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks in a TV address in Caracas, Venezuela, March 16. Xinhua/Sipa USA Venezuela will begin a partial reopening of nine economic sectors on June 1, which will see them open for five days and then observe quarantine for the next ten, the country's President Nicolas Maduro announced on Saturday. Border towns will not be part of the measure and the Venezuelan border will remain shut for the foreseeable future, Maduro said. During the ten days of quarantine, the food provision and healthcare sectors will be able to perform essential activities, according to the official Venezuelan News Agency. Venezuela has so far reported 1,459 cases of the novel coronavirus and 14 deaths, according to a tracker from Johns Hopkins University. However, a recent report said that the real number is "almost certainly much higher," citing the limited availability of reliable testing, poor transparency, and the "persecution of medical professionals and jou

The World Health Organization headquarters sign seen here in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 29. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images The World Health Organization on Saturday released new guidance for mass gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic, recommending a number of possible changes to large events -- once they’re allowed to take place. Holding gatherings outdoors, limiting attendance to healthy people and staggering arrivals could all help limit the spread of the virus, according to the guidance. “In the context of Covid-19, mass gatherings are events that could amplify the transmission of the virus and potentially disrupt the host country’s response capacity,” the guidance said. But it said large events offered benefits, too, such as providing employment and boosting psychological well-being. “Since mass gatherings have substantial political, cultural, social, and economic implications, authorities should assess the importance and necessity of an event and consider the option that it

A policeman stands guard at a road checkpoint in New Delhi on March 25, as India's lockdown begins. Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called on India's people to be careful and take precautions such as using face masks and maintaining social distancing in public as the country prepares to ease its nationwide lockdown from Monday. Modi, giving his monthly radio address, praised India's tackling of Covid-19, especially in light of its large population. India is the world's second most populous nation after China. The country has endured suffering, but everyone is resolved to continue handling it, Modi said. He also applauded charity groups, including NGOs and volunteer organizations, saying a commitment to serving people in need was part of India's ethos and that the country had displayed this, especially amid the pandemic. Modi also addressed the  migrant crisis  that the country has faced amid the nationwide lockdown, saying no section

Nicola Sturgeon attends First Minister's Questions at Holyrood on May 13 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Fraser Bremner/Pool/Getty Images Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned that coronavirus still poses a “significant risk,” calling on citizens to not become complacent as the UK government prepares to lift some lockdown restrictions in England on Monday.  “We have got to be very cautious. The virus has not gone away, there is still a significant risk that it could run out of control again,” Sturgeon said Sunday during an interview with Sky News. “In Scotland, we are moving very slowly, very cautiously. We’ve just gone into Phase 1 of our route map out of lockdown, and that expressly recognizes that, in that phase, there is a significant risk that the epidemic is not fully contained,” she added.  On Thursday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that Britain would begin the gradual process of easing the lockdown restrictions on Monday, despite concerns expressed by mem

Tourists enjoy the hot weather at Bournemouth beach on May 25, after some coronavirus restrictions were eased. Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images  The UK is at a “sensitive moment” as it eases coronavirus restrictions, the country’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Sunday, adding that not all scientists will agree with the government’s decisions. England is relaxing some restrictions from Monday, including allowing groups of up to six people to meet in outdoor settings. Schools will also begin to reopen to some pupils, and extremely vulnerable people who have been "shielding" -- staying at home at all times and avoiding any face-to-face contact -- have been told they can go outdoors again from Monday. “If we had a second peak in the virus, we would end up back in lockdown and that would be bad for public health reasons but also for the economy,” Raab told Sky News on Sunday. “So we’re taking measures now which are based on both on the public health considerations, but they’re a

People walk past a restaurant in the Itaewon district in Seoul, South Korea, on April 24. SongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images Recreational venues in South Korea, including bars, nightclubs and indoor gyms, will be required to keep a QR code-based customer log from June 10, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo said Sunday. This data will be automatically erased after four weeks to safeguard customer information. The minister also outlined several other disease prevention guidelines required from June 2. Operators must regularly disinfect the premises, check customers for symptoms and ensure customers wear masks. Those who violate the guidelines, including customers, could be subject to fines, and businesses could be forced to close. As of 12 p.m. local time on Sunday, 111 cases were linked to the Coupang logistics center cluster and 270 cases were linked to the  Itaewon nightclub cluster  in Seoul, according to the Health Ministry. The total number of confirmed cases in the country stands