Memorial Day weekend draws crowds and triggers warnings

The Memorial Day weekend marking the unofficial start of summer in the U.S. meant big crowds at beaches and warnings from authorities about people disregarding the coronavirus social-distancing rules and risking a resurgence of the scourge that has killed nearly 100,000 Americans. On the Navajo Nation, which sprawls across the states of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, the number of coronavirus cases rose by 56 on Sunday to 4,689, according to the local health department.

Meanwhile, the White House broadened its travel ban against countries hit hard by the virus, saying it would deny admission to foreigners who have recently been in Brazil. Japan moved further toward reopening Monday, with Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura saying that experts on a government-commissioned panel approved a plan to end the state of emergency in Tokyo and surrounding areas that has lasted for more than a month and a half.

Japan's state of emergency has been less stringent than in European nations, mainly asking people to stay at home and for nonessential businesses to close or operate shorter hours. "Even after the state of emergency is lifted, we must firmly take preventive measures based on our new lifestyles," Nishimura told reporters. Millions of Australian children returned to school as the number of coronavirus patients across the country continues to fall. The states of New South Wales and Queensland joined less populous Western Australia and South Australia states and the Northern Territory in resuming face-to-face learning, instead of studying from home online.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Monday that students and teachers had to observe one key message: Stay home if sick. "We're not out of the woods yet. We have to take each day as it comes, each week as it comes and we keep our fingers crossed that Queenslanders will continue to flatten that curve," Palaszczuk said.

China reported 11 new cases of the coronavirus, 10 of them among passengers arriving from overseas in the vast Inner Mongolia region north of Beijing, according to the National Health Commission. China, where the virus was first detected late last year, is holding the annual session of its ceremonial parliament, part of efforts to show that the country is returning to normal and shaking off the devastating economic efforts of having locked down tens of millions of citizens in order to contain the pandemic.

South Korea reported 16 new cases as 2 million more children begin returning to school this week. Thirteen of South Korea's new cases came from the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area, where more than 200 infections have been linked to nightclubs and other entertainment facilities. Officials shut down thousands of the outlets over the past week. The transmissions, which came amid relaxed attitudes on social distancing, have raised concern as officials proceed with a phased reopening of schools.

On the Sunday U.S. talk shows, Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said she was "very concerned" about scenes of people crowding together over the weekend. In the Tampa area along Florida's Gulf Coast, the crowds were so big that authorities took the extraordinary step of closing parking lots because they were full. "We really want to be clear all the time that social distancing is absolutely critical. And if you can't social distance and you're outside, you must wear a mask," Birx said on ABC's "This Week." In Missouri, people packed bars and restaurants at the Lake of the Ozarks, a vacation spot popular with Chicagoans.

On Georgia's Tybee Island, the beach was filled with families, but at a nearby grocery store, staff members handed customers gloves and a number to keep track of how many people were inside. Shoppers had their own masks. Officials in California said most people were covering their faces and keeping their distance even as they ventured to beaches and parks. Many Southern California beaches were open only for swimming, running and other activities.

At New York's Orchard Beach in the Bronx, kids played with toys, and people sat in folding chairs. Some wore winter coats on a cool and breezy day, and many wore masks and sat apart from others. "Good to be outside. Fresh air. Just good to enjoy the outdoors," said Danovan Clacken, whose face was covered.

The U.S. is on track to surpass 100,000 coronavirus deaths in the next few days, while Europe has seen over 169,000 dead, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that almost certainly understates the toll. Worldwide, more than 5.4 million people have been infected and nearly 345,000 have died..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)