New coronavirus cases dropped to zero in China for the first time Saturday but surged in India and overwhelmed hospitals across Latin America.
The virus hit a reopened church in Germany and probably a restaurant, too.
The pandemic’s persistence stymied authorities struggling to keep people safe and revive their economies at the same time, disrupting the Memorial Day weekend in the United States and collective celebrations around the Muslim world marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Turkey imposed its toughest lockdown measures yet starting Saturday for the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan, and Yemen’s Houthi rebels urged believers to use masks and stay inside, as authorities try to contain infections at a time usually marked by days of multigenerational feasting and collective prayer.
Elsewhere, many governments are easing restrictions as they face political backlash and historic recessions brought on by the global battle against the virus. In just a few months, the pandemic has killed at least 338,000 people worldwide and infected more than 5.2 million, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University.
