The latest from around the world...

THE coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 2.1 million people worldwide and more than 140,000 deaths have been recorded.

Here is the latest on the situation from around the world:

JAPAN

Prime minister Shinzo Abe says more social distancing is needed after he declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and other urban areas 10 days ago.

Mr Abe expanded the month-long state of emergency to all of Japan on Thursday in a bid to reduce movement of people ahead of “golden week” holidays. He said

Tokyo set a record of 201 daily increase of cases for a total of almost 3,000, calling the situation “severe”.

He said social interactions were reduced by 60% in central Tokyo and 70% in Osaka but fell short of an 80% target needed to slow the spread to a manageable level.

PAKISTAN

Worshippers around Pakistan have defied a ban on gatherings by attending Friday prayers at mosques, despite the deployment of police and government warnings that people could become infected.

Among those defying the ban was a radical cleric at the Taliban-linked Red Mosque in the capital, Islamabad.

Police are expected to file cases against prayer leaders who allow worshippers to gather in their mosques as the number of cases in the country increases. Figures released yesterday brought national totals to 7,025 cases and 135 deaths.

TANZANIA

The country has started three days of national prayers, announced by the president, to seek divine intervention for the country to be spared from the deadly impact of coronavirus.

John Magufuli previously said the government will not ban religious gatherings because the virus will be combated by faith.

Four people have died and 88 have been confirmed infected by the virus in Tanzania.

BELARUS

The government has announced a mass community clean-up event next Saturday that will be attended by hundreds of thousands of state employees despite the growing outbreak.

The announcement came as health officials reported the country’s caseload surpassing