For the 11th consecutive day, China reported no coronavirus death.

On Sunday, the country confirmed 11 more cases of the coronavirus.

It brings its official count to 82,827 infected people.

Five of the new cases were in Heilongjiang province, a northeastern border area with Russia that has seen a surge in infections. Another was in Guangdong province, a manufacturing and tech region bordering Hong Kong in the south.

The other five were imported from overseas. China has identified 1,634 imported cases in all.

China said it also has 1,000 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus but do not have any symptoms. They are under medical observation but not included in the confirmed case count.

— HONG KONG HELPING STRANDED CITIZENS: Hong Kong is trying to help more than 5,000 residents return home from India and Pakistan after those countries banned all international flights to combat COVID-19. The Hong Kong Immigration Department has reached about 3,200 residents in India and 2,000 in Pakistan, scattered around both countries, according to a government news release. The situation in India is complicated by strict restrictions on domestic trips, with approval required for any travel. On the Hong Kong end, the city has limited capacity to test, quarantine and treat people. The government plans to fly back residents in phases, starting with chartered flights from New Delhi and Islamabad for those in and around those two cities, as well as the sick, pregnant woman, children and the elderly. Passengers will have to pay for their flights.

The global death toll from coronavirus reached 203,274 on Sunday morning.

There have been 2,921,030 confirmed cases around the world after the highly contagious disease was first reported in China in December last year, according to worldometer.

Of those infected, 1,880,815 are currently being treated with 57,864 being in serious or critical condition.

 So far, 836,941 people have recovered.

Also Read:Coronavirus: Bangladesh cannot afford losing doctors

Coronavirus is affecting 210 countries and territories around the world and two international conveyances.

The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic on March 11.

Bangladesh on Saturday reported 309  new cases and nine more deaths from coronavirus.

The total number of confirmed cases in the country is now 4,998. The country has so far confirmed 140 deaths.

Global death toll from coronavirus surpassed 200,000, researchers at Johns Hopkins University said Saturday.

A tentative easing around the world of coronavirus lockdowns gathered pace Saturday with the reopening in India of neighborhood stores that many of the country's 1.3 billion people rely on for everything from cold drinks to mobile phone data cards.

In the US, the states of Georgia, Oklahoma and Alaska have begun loosening lockdown orders on their pandemic-wounded businesses, even as the confirmed US death toll from the coronavirus soared past 50,000 and health experts warned that such steps might be coming too soon.

The relaxation of the Indian lockdown came with major caveats. It did not apply to hundreds of quarantined towns and other places hit hardest by the outbreak that has killed at least 775 people in the country and terrified its multitudes of poor who live in slum conditions too crowded for social distancing.

Shopping malls also stayed closed nationwide. Still, for families that run small stores, being able to earn again brought relief.

"This is a good decision," said Amit Sharma, an architect. "We have to open a few things and let the economy start moving. The poor people should have some source of income. This virus is going to be a long-term problem."

Last week, India also allowed manufacturing and farming to resume in rural areas to ease the economic plight of millions left jobless by the lockdown imposed March 24. India's restrictions have allowed people out of their homes only to buy food, medicine or other essentials.

Elsewhere in Asia, authorities reported no new deaths Saturday for the 10th straight day in China, where the virus originated.

And South Korea reported just 10 fresh cases, the eighth day in a row its daily jump came below 20. There were no new deaths for the second straight day.

Other countries, however, extended or tightened restrictions, confirming a pattern of caution in trying to balance public health against the shut-down economies.

Sri Lanka had partially lifted a monthlong curfew during daytime hours in more than two thirds of the country. But it reimposed a 24-hour lockdown countrywide after a surge Friday of 46 new infections, the highest increase in a day on the Indian Ocean island. The new curfew remains in effect until Monday.

Norway extended until at least Sept. 1 its ban on events with more than 500 participants. Culture Minister Abid Raja said the decision wasn't easy, but added there cannot be big events "that can contribute to more infections that will affect life and health."

The global death toll neared 200,000, according to a tally compiled by John Hopkins University from government figures. The actual death toll is believed to be far higher.

Pope Francis appealed for prayers for funeral home workers, saying: "What they do is so heavy and sad. They really feel the pain of this pandemic."

In an announcement that underscored the scientific unknowns about the virus, the World Health Organization said "there is currently no evidence" that people who have recovered from COVID-19 cannot fall sick again.

In Europe, Belgium sketched out plans for a progressive lockdown relaxation starting May 4 with the resumption of nonessential treatment in hospitals and the reopening of textile and sewing shops so people can make face masks. Bars and restaurants would be allowed to start reopening June 8, although Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes also cautioned that a surge in infections could alter the timeline and that "nothing is set in stone."

Kids in Spain will get their first fresh air in weeks on Sunday when a ban on letting them outside is relaxed. After 44 days indoors, they'll be allowed to take one toy or scooter with them but not play together for the adult-supervised one-hour excursions no farther than 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from home. Some nervous parents shopped online for child-size masks for their children, as recommended by authorities.

"I really want to get outside, and Ema does as well," said Madrid resident Eva Novilo, whose daughter Ema is 7. But Novilo predicted "difficult situations" if they see Ema's friends and have to stay apart. "I don't know if we will be able to maintain control."

In Italy, authorities warned against abandoning social distancing practices after lockdown restrictions are eased on May 4 and millions return to work. Authorities said free protective masks will be distributed to nursing homes, police, public officials and transportation workers. Rome's public transit agency painted blue circles on subway platforms to remind people to keep their distance when commuters return in large numbers.

The country continues to have Europe's highest death toll, with 26,384 deaths. The 415 deaths registered in the 24-hour period that ended Saturday evening was the lowest toll since Italy registered 345 on March 17, but only five fewer than Friday.

With gatherings banned, Italians celebrated the 75th anniversary of their liberation from occupation forces in World War II, emerging on balconies or rooftops at the same time Saturday to sing a folk song linked to resistance fighters.

Britain is still holding off on changes to its lockdown as the coronavirus-related death toll in hospitals topped 20,000. The figure does not include deaths in nursing homes, which are likely to be in the thousands.

In France, the government is preparing to gingerly ease one of Europe's strictest lockdowns from May 11. The health minister detailed plans to scale up testing to help contain any new flare-ups.

Testing shortages are a critical problem elsewhere, too, including in Brazil, Latin America's largest nation, which is veering closer to becoming a pandemic hot spot.

Medical officials in Rio de Janeiro and four other major cities warned that their hospital systems are on the verge of collapse or already overwhelmed. In Manaus, the biggest city in the Amazon, officials said they have been forced to dig mass graves in a cemetery. Workers have been burying 100 corpses a day — triple the pre-virus average.

In the US, Republican governors in Georgia  and Oklahoma allowed salons, spas and barbershops to reopen, while Alaska cleared the way for restaurants to resume dine-in service and retail shops and other businesses to open their doors, all with limitations. Some Alaska municipalities chose to maintain stricter rules.

Though limited in scope, and subject to social-distancing restrictions, the reopenings marked a symbolic milestone in the debate raging in the United States and beyond as to how quickly political leaders should lift economically devastating lockdown orders.

In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended her stay-at-home order through May 15, while lifting restrictions so some businesses can reopen and the public can resume outdoor activities such as golf and motorized boating. Michigan has nearly 3,000 virus-related deaths, behind only New York and New Jersey.

On Friday, President Donald Trump spoke optimistically of the economy but also asked people to continue social distancing and using face coverings. The same day, he signed a $484 billion bill  to aid employers and hospitals. In the past five weeks, roughly 26 million people have filed for jobless aid, or about 1 in 6 US workers.

Trump also said his widely criticized comments suggesting people can ingest or inject disinfectant to fight COVID-19 were an attempt at sarcasm.

Amy Pembrook and her husband, Mike, reopened their hair salon in the northwest Oklahoma town of Fairview after it had been closed for about a month.

"We're super excited about going back, but we have caught a little flak from people who say it's too early," she said. "We just said we can live in fear for a long time or we can trust that everything is going to be OK."

Britain's government on Saturday defended the independence of the scientists advising it on coronavirus after it emerged that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's controversial chief aide had attended meetings of the group.

Criticism of Johnson's Conservative government is mounting as the U.K.'s COVID-19 death toll rises and a nationwide lockdown imposed a month ago drags on. The confirmed number of coronavirus-related hospital deaths is likely to reach 20,000 this weekend.

After a report in The Guardian, the government confirmed that Johnson adviser Dominic Cummings had attended several meetings of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, or SAGE, and listened to discussions. But it denied the Guardian's claim that Cummings — who is not a scientist — was a member of the group.

Cummings is a contentious figure, a self-styled political disruptor who was appointed to a key role by Johnson after masterminding the victorious "leave" campaign during Britain's 2016 referendum on European Union membership.

The government said "SAGE provides independent scientific advice to the government. Political advisers have no role in this."

SAGE is a usually little-known group headed by Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty. The government has declined to publish its full membership, saying that could leave the scientists open to lobbying or other pressure.

David King, a former government chief scientific adviser, told The Guardian he was "shocked" to learn political advisers were involved in SAGE meetings. But other scientists who have advised the government said it was usual for political aides to attend, though only as observers.

The main opposition Labour Party said Cummings' attendance raised questions about the credibility of government decision-making.

"The best way to clear all of this up is for the government to be completely transparent with us and publish the minutes of the SAGE committee," said Labour health spokesman Jonathan Ashworth.

The government says its response to the pandemic has been guided by scientific advice. That advice is under increasing scrutiny by critics who accuse the government of being slow to respond to the outbreak. Britain imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 23, later than in many other European countries. The measures have been extended until at least May 7.

As of Friday, 19,506 people with the coronavirus had died in British hospitals. The figure does not include deaths in nursing homes, which are likely to number in the thousands.

Scientists say the U.K. has reached the peak of the pandemic but is not yet out of danger. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is declining, and the number of daily deaths peaked on April 8.

As fears recede that the health system will be overwhelmed, opponents are stepping up their attacks on Johnson's Conservative government over shortages of protective equipment for medical workers and a lack of testing for the virus.

Meanwhile, health authorities urged Britons not to ignore symptoms of conditions other than the coronavirus, amid fears that cancer and other illnesses are going untreated.

Public Health England said visits to hospital emergency departments have fallen by almost 50% in April from the same month last year. The charity Cancer Research UK estimated that 2,250 new cases of the disease could be going undetected each week, partly because people are reluctant to go to hospitals for fear of catching the virus or overburdening the system.

The National Health Service encouraged people to seek urgent help if needed and to continue to attend services such as cancer screening and maternity appointments.

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said "ignoring problems can have serious consequences — now or in the future."

A tentative easing around the world of coronavirus lockdowns gathered pace Saturday with the reopening in India of neighborhood stores that many of the country's 1.3 billion people rely on for everything from cold drinks to mobile phone data cards.

The relaxation of the super-strict Indian lockdown came with major caveats. It did not apply to hundreds of quarantined towns and other hotspots that have been hit hardest by the outbreak that has killed at least 775 people in India and terrified its multitudes of poor who live hand-to-mouth in slum conditions too crowded for social distancing.

Shopping malls also remained closed across the country. Still, for families that run small stores, being able to earn again brought relief.

"This is a good decision," said Amit Sharma, an architect. "We have to open a few things and let the economy start moving. The poor people should have some source of income. This virus is going to be a long-term problem."

Last week, India also allowed manufacturing and farming activities to resume in rural areas to ease the economic plight of millions of daily wage-earners left without work by the country's lockdown imposed March 24. India's stay-home restrictions have allowed people out of their homes only to buy food, medicine or other essentials.

Elsewhere in Asia, authorities on Saturday reported no new deaths for the 10th straight day in China, where the virus originated.

And South Korea reported just 10 fresh cases, the eighth day in a row its daily jump came below 20. There were no new deaths for the second straight day.

In Sri Lanka, however, the lockdown was tightened, not eased, confirming a pattern of one-step-forward, one-step-back also seen elsewhere as countries battle the pandemic, trying to juggle public health against the health of shut-down economies.

Sri Lanka had partially lifted a monthlong curfew during daytime hours in more than two thirds of the country. But it reimposed a 24-hour lockdown countrywide after a surge Friday of 46 new infections, the highest increase in a day on the Indian Ocean island. The new curfew remains in effect until Monday.

The global death toll climbed Saturday toward 200,000, according to a tally compiled by John Hopkins University from government figures. The actual death toll is believed to be far higher.

Pope Francis appealed to people to pray for funeral home workers, saying: "What they do is so heavy and sad. They really feel the pain of this pandemic."

The U.S. states of Georgia, Oklahoma and Alaska also began loosening lockdown orders on their pandemic-wounded businesses, even as the confirmed U.S. death toll from the coronavirus  soared past 50,000 and despite warnings from health experts that such steps may be coming too early.

In Europe, Belgium sketched out plans for a progressive lockdown relaxation, starting May 4 with the resumption of nonessential treatment in hospitals and the reopening of textile and sewing shops so people can make face masks. Bars and restaurants would be allowed to start reopening June 8, although Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes also cautioned that a surge in infections could alter the timeline and that "nothing is set in stone."

In France, the government is preparing to gingerly ease one of Europe's strictest lockdowns from May 11.

Denmark has reopened schools for the youngest grades. Kids in Spain will get their first fresh air in weeks on Sunday when a total ban on letting them outside is relaxed. After 44 days indoors, they'll be allowed to take one toy or scooter with them but not play together for the adult-supervised one-hour excursions no further than one kilometer (0.6 miles) from home.

Without a tried-and-tested action plan for how to pull countries out of coronavirus lockdown, the world is seeing a patchwork of approaches. Schools reopen in one country, stay closed in others; face masks are mandatory in some places, a recommendation elsewhere.

Britain was still holding off on changes to its lockdown as the coronavirus-related death toll in hospitals was on target to surge past 20,000. It's the fourth highest in Europe, behind Italy, Spain and France, each of which has reported more than 20,000 deaths.

In the U.S., Republican governors in Georgia  and Oklahoma allowed salons, spas and barbershops to reopen, while Alaska opened the way for restaurants to resume dine-in service and retail shops and other businesses to open their doors, all with limitations. Some Alaska municipalities chose to maintain stricter rules.

Though limited in scope, and subject to social-distancing restrictions, the reopenings marked a symbolic milestone in the debate raging in the United States and beyond as to how quickly political leaders should lift economically devastating lockdown orders.

In Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lengthened her stay-at-home order through May 15, while lifting restrictions so some businesses can reopen and the public can participate in outdoor activities such as golf and motorized boating. Michigan has nearly 3,000 deaths related to COVID-19, behind only New York and New Jersey.

During a White House press briefing Friday, President Donald Trump spoke optimistically of the economy but also asked people to continue social distancing and using face coverings. The same day, Trump signed a $484 billion bill  to aid employers and hospitals under stress from the pandemic. Over the past five weeks, roughly 26 million people have filed for jobless aid, or about 1 in 6 U.S. workers.

Trump also said his widely criticized comments suggesting people can ingest or inject disinfectant to fight COVID-19 were an attempt at sarcasm.

Amy Pembrook and her husband, Mike, reopened their hair salon in the northwest Oklahoma town of Fairview after it had been shuttered for about a month.

"We're super excited about going back, but we have caught a little flak from people who say it's too early," Amy Pembrook said. "We just said we can live in fear for a long time or we can trust that everything is going to be OK."