The COVID-19 outbreak that began in the city of Wuhan in China has spread across the world, claimed 245,531 lives and infected 3,476,021 people so far. Several cases have been reported in many countries across the world, triggering panic about a 2003 SARS-like global outbreak.
We give you a chronological breakdown of the situation over the past few weeks. Here's a screengrab showing the latest status of coronavirus across the world:
May 3: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani announces that mosques in 132 cities in the country will resume prayers with adequate safety measures in place. Jordan relaxes all restrictions on economic activities.
-- Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decline Trump administrations offer for quick test quick COVID-19 tests. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo thanks Qatar for the aid sent to his state.
-- Amid precautions, restaurants and shopping centers reopen in the UAE. Despite the increasing number of cases in the country, Armenia's Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan announces the reopening shops, restaurants and bars.
-- Wahid Mayar, spokesperson for Afghanistan's public health ministry, says that the rate of infection in the country is faster than expected. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo states that there is "enormous evidence" that the novel coronavirus originated in a Chinese lab.
-- The number of cases worldwide stands at 3,476,021 and the total casualties reach 245,531.
May 2: IMF approves $643 million in pandemic aid to Ecuador. Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan, says that the country will take stringent measures to deal with the economic fall out of the coronavirus crisis. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo cautions against the 'premature' reopening of states.
-- Spain relaxes strict lockdown restrictions as citizens are allowed to play sports and go out for walks after 48 days. Indian government announces the extension of the lockdown in the country amid a few relaxations.
-- Russia reports nearly 10,000 new coronavirus cases in a day, bringing the country's total to 124,045. Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow says that nearly 2 percent of the population is infected with the coronavirus. The number of cases in Africa surpasses 40,000 while the global tally stands at 3,392,771.
-- The death toll in the US crosses 65,000 while the number of people succumbing to the disease in Spain exceeds 25,000. The total number of casualties across the world stands at 241,193.
May 1: New York state officials say that funeral homes are "overflowing" with dead bodies as the establishments are unable to handle the sheer numbers of dead. US President Donald Trump says that the country cannot declare a "total victory" over the disease as the death toll is high.
-- According to the London-based Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), African Britons in the country are dying at a higher rate than their fellow white citizens. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) declares that dozens of journalists across the world have lost their lives to COVID-19.
-- President Emmanuel Macron says in a speech that life will not be normal in France after the lockdown ends on 11 May. Spain's Economy Minister Nadia Calvino says that the country's GDP is set to contract 9.2 percent in 2020.
-- Mexico and Germany report hundreds of new cases as the worldwide tally touches 3,276,373 and the number of casualties stands at 233,998.
(This is a developing story and the timeline will be updated on a daily basis)
