Italy eases lockdown

Some 4.4 million Italians returned to work for the first time in two months on Monday. Construction and manufacturing companies resumed operations, and traffic returned to the streets of Rome as the country began to ease the longest coronavirus lockdown in Europe. Italian officials continue to limit funeral services to 15 people, but there’s no word on when religious services will resume. As of Monday, Italy had recorded close to 211,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, nearly 29,000 deaths, and more than 81,500 recoveries.

Are other countries easing restrictions? In India, construction workers and some self-employed people returned to work on Monday, although additional restrictions will last until at least May 18. Iceland allowed some high schools, hair salons, and other businesses to reopen after the nation of 360,000 people had recorded, as of Monday, 1,799 confirmed cases, 10 deaths, and 1,717 recoveries.

Dig deeper: Read Hannah Harris’ report on Americans stranded by the outbreak in Peru.