The United States became the first country to report more than 2,000 coronavirus deaths in a single day, marking a grim milestone as billions around the world celebrated the Easter holiday weekend under lockdown from home.
The global death toll from the virus surged past 103,000 on Friday, with the United States quickly becoming the epicentre of the pandemic that first emerged in China late last year.
Europe has so far shouldered the majority of all deaths and infections, though there were signs of hope the curve could be starting to flatten in some of the hardest-hit countries.
Numbers out of Madrid offered a glimmer of hope Saturday: 510 new deaths, a dip in fatalities for the third day in a row.
In France, nearly 1,000 new deaths were confirmed Friday but the country reported a drop in the number of intensive care patients for a second day running.
Italy meanwhile said the number of daily deaths was starting to level off, though the government resisted pressure to lift its lockdown, extending confinement measures until May 3.
With 18,849 dead, Italy has the highest global death toll, but it is likely soon to be surpassed by the United States where fatalities continued to mount this week.
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