Countries battle between lockdown and reopening

MEXICO

MEXICO CITY:

Mexico City has delayed a planned reopening of businesses until coronavirus infections drop, its mayor has said, as cases continue to surge nationwide.

The city had been hoping to open hotels, restaurants and shopping centres on Saturday as part of its traffic-light system for easing the lockdown, the BBC reported.

But on Friday, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said the capital city would remain at red - the highest level of lockdown - until next week.

AUSTRALIA

MELBOURNE:

Australia's Victoria state is set to reimpose household restrictions from Monday after recording double-digit increases in COVID-19 cases for a fourth consecutive day.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews says household gatherings will be restricted to five guests and outdoor gatherings to 10 people until midnight July 12.

Andrews said Victoria recorded 25 new cases on Saturday, the biggest daily increase in two months.

SAUDI ARABIA

RIYADH:

More than 1,500 mosques are due to reopen Sunday in the holy city of Mecca amid strict health precautions after three-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, a media report said.

Late last month, mosques reopened across Saudi Arabia, except in Mecca, for congregation prayers as part of a phased plan for gradual return to normalcy, said the Gulf news report.

On Sunday, nearly 1,560 mosques in Mecca will reopen for worshippers starting from the Fajr prayer.

MADRID: SPAIN

Spain’s state of alarm, the emergency mechanism propping up the nationwide lockdown to contain COVID-19, will expire midnight on Saturday, 98 days after it first came into effect.

In an unprecedented situation during the country's history, the days under lockdown in Spain progressed at varying speeds, reports Efe news.

But with the gradual easing of restrictions, life has slowly returned to the streets, squares, shops, highways, factories, offices, bars and beaches up and down the country.