Case numbers across the region, spanning 53 countries, are continuing to climb. In the past ten days, the number of cases reported in Europe has nearly doubled to close to one million, and over 84,000 people have lost their lives to the virus in the region, Kluge announced. Of the total global burden, 50% of cases are in this region.

“We remain in the eye of the storm… Now more than ever I call for solidarity between countries. It is time to step up and display both responsive and responsible leadership to steer us through this storm,” World Health Organization’s Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge told a virtual press briefing, adding that the next few weeks will be critical for Europe.

Trump, who has reacted angrily to criticism of his administration’s response to the worst epidemic in a century, has become increasingly hostile towards the WHO.

The Geneva-based organisation had promoted China’s “disinformation” about the virus that likely led to a wider outbreak than otherwise would have occurred, Trump said.

The United States is the biggest overall donor to the WHO, contributing more than $400 million in 2019, roughly 15% of its budget.

“Tokyo 2020 has taken out several insurance policies,” he said. “But whether the postponement of the games qualifies as an event that is covered is not clear yet.”

In Europe, thousands of shops across Austria are set to re-open on Tuesday. Spain recorded its smallest proportional daily rise in the number of deaths and new infections since early March and let some businesses return to work on Monday.

Some European nations have started tentative moves to ease their shutdowns. Hard-hit Spain, which on Sunday reported its lowest daily growth in infections in three weeks, will allow workers in some nonessential industries to return to factories and construction sites Monday.

South Korea’s caseload has slowed from early March, when it was reporting around 500 new cases a day, but officials have warned of a broader quiet spread, pointing to transmissions at locations such as bars that may indicate eased attitudes toward social distancing.

This pandemic threatens to severely set back economic, social, and development gains in Asia and the Pacific, reverse progress on poverty reduction, and throw economies into recession, said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.

Insurers have been under pressure from the French government to come up with a plan to support the economy, as most companies were left without insurance coverage for disruptions to business caused by the lockdown.