UK deaths top 39,000, Italy records lowest new cases since Feb. 27

Corona in UK

BRUSSELS, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in European countries.

LONDON -- Another 111 COVID-19 patients have died in Britain as of Sunday afternoon, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in the country to 39,045, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Monday.

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

Noting that 111 is the lowest daily death toll since lockdown began in March, Hancock said during the Downing Street daily press briefing that Britain is winning the battle against the novel coronavirus, but warned COVID-19 is "not done yet".

ROME -- Italy recorded 178 fresh cases of infection from the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, the lowest such figure since Feb. 27, the Civil Protection Department said on Monday.

The overall number of COVID-19 infections, fatalities and recoveries rose to 233,197 cases over the past 24 hours, from 233,019 cases on Sunday.

The pandemic began in Italy on Feb. 21 in the northern, densely populated and highly industrialized Lombardy region, whose capital is Milan.

PARIS -- On the eve of the second phase of de-confinement, France recorded 31 COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, the lowest daily increase since mid March, bringing the overall death toll of the epidemic to 28,833, the Health Ministry said on Monday.

French hospitals registered 18,506 fatalities, up from 18,475 on Sunday, while the data from nursing homes and medico-social establishments would be updated on Tuesday.

The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 fell to 14,288 from 14,322 on Sunday. The number of those who need life support continued its downtrend, falling by 17 to 1,302.

MADRID -- Spain did not receive any foreign tourists or any income from tourism in April due to the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, according to data from the Spanish Statistical Office (INE) on Monday.

In a monthly report, the INE said this follows a drop of 64 percent in the number of international tourist arrivals in March, as the country closed to foreign visitors from March 15.

Meanwhile, the fact that travel restrictions remained in place throughout May means that the month that has just finished will also end with zero tourists from abroad and zero income from the sector.